Spring Spirit
by Meleiyu
Summary: For Axel, being an accountant sucked, especially with an idiotic boss. The redhead was bored and wanted excitement in his life...weird how it came from the lake near his home. Axel.Roxas/AU/OOC
1. Part 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters.

**A/N:** Happy early birthday to my dear friend **Sule**! This is dedicated to her! I know she likes mermaid/merman fics (or at least that's what people have told me…) so I decided to play with the idea. I was also inspired by the songs from the game **Ar Tonelico**.

It was supposed to be a one shot, but I expanded a little and split it into three. I only have part one complete and part two almost complete. (Will return to regular three fics after this one)

As usual, I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors. I'll look over it again eventually anyway…

Enjoy.

Word count: 11 820

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**Spring Spirit**

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It was a beautiful, mesmerizing hymn that drew him towards the lake. A soothing sound had echoed through the woods and reached his ears, making them twitch automatically. The man whirled his body around using his heels and he listened carefully, hoping to hear that strange sound once again. "_They didn't sound like words at all,"_ he thought to himself, arching an eyebrow curiously. Perhaps he was hallucinating; it was late into the night after all—way past midnight, and way past his normal bed time. He was actually supposed to work early the next day, but his boss dropped several folders onto his desk earlier. Each of them were unbelievably thick and he wasn't willing to work on them at home for six straight hours without relaxing a little. So he decided he needed a breath of fresh air.

The melodious sound was heard once again and it sent shivers down Axel's back—not in a bad way. It piqued his interest and his legs tugged his body through the woods, guiding him towards the lake. Excitement was pumping through his blood _"What_ _**is**__that?"_ Something so calming and beautiful was never heard before, but then again, Axel hadn't stayed up passed midnight for the past three months. He wondered whether or not someone else lived nearby. Axel was sure he was the only one living in the area.

As he drew closer he took notice of a few figures stepping…or perhaps dancing over the surface of the water, creating clean ripples under their feet. Axel hid behind a few bushes, hoping he would not be discovered, hoping that if they heard rustles, they would assume it was a woodland creature. He was sure his heart was trying to leap out of his chest, and he kept wondering why. With caution, the man peeked through the crowd of leaves and gazed at the moon bathed beings that stood over the water. Amazed, the man's mouth just dropped open, and he offered them his full attention, even though they were not aware of it. Axel's mind had decided that the beings were definitely not human, because no human had the ability to stand in the middle of a lake and not sink at all; that was just ridiculous. But he wanted to conceal himself and stay close because he wanted to listen to the rest of their heavenly hymn. Surprisingly it was the only thing that relaxed him after a harsh day of work. _"Is this…supposed to be a dream?"_ he wondered to himself. But his thoughts were shattered, and his heart skipped a beat when he laid eyes on a particular being. That specific figure danced so much more passionately than the others, and his voice…his divine voice was the one that Axel was focussing on most. _"This can't be real…"_ Yet some part of his mind kept convincing him that it was indeed real. The other part of his mind told him that it was all phantasmagorical…but that part was clearly ignored.

Axel rested in his spot for what seemed like several hours, but the fact was that he had only been observing the dreamlike beings for approximately one hour. Still, he was absorbed, never wanting the graceful dance or soothing song to end. But it did. And Axel returned to reality after he finally blinked. They laughed a little, spoke some words that the redhead was unable to comprehend because he was too far, and then they submerged…wait, they **submerged?!** Without thinking the redhead bolted up from his sitting position and stepped out of the bushes. But he was welcomed by a clear lake, silence. The cool spring breeze brushed up against Axel's body, making him shiver, but he just stared ahead. _"That…boy…"_ He treaded along the grass carefully and squinted at the pool of water hoping for something to miraculously appear, but to his disappointment there was nothing. Axel kept picturing his favourite dancer, so elegant under the radiant glow of the moonlight. _"At least…I __**think**__ it was a boy…"_ It was difficult to tell in the dark even _with_ the moonlight assisting him.

A loud tune suddenly went off and echoed around the area, making Axel leap up and shout out loud in surprise. There was a strange vibration in his pants and he groaned as he dipped a hand into his pocket. A black cell phone was fished up and the screen was flashing. Axel pushed a few buttons bitterly and opened his text message. _"Have at least the first five folders complete on my desk first thing in the morning."_

"It's three in the morning, you idiot…" he hissed under his breath, holding back the urge to whip his cell phone into the woods with all his might. But then he sighed, realizing how late into the night it was. The clock on his cell phone read three a.m., which meant he could only get three hours of sleep, maximum. He glanced up to study the lake once more, but there was nothing. _"Maybe it was just my imagination…"_ After snapped his cell phone shut, the redhead ventured into the woods and returned home for a few hours of much needed rest.

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The redhead was exhausted the following morning; his eyes were baggy and he couldn't stop yawning. There was a new pile of paper on his desk, courtesy of his overly demanding boss. "Axel, you're missing half a folder…" the man pointed out coldly as he flipped through all the pages, skimming the contents. The devil…that was who the man was…

"Sorry, sir, I was up until three working on them…I'll try harder to get these done by the end of the day," Axel murmured half-heartedly, twirling a pen between two fingers. All he wanted to do was sleep with his head on the desk. It was like high school all over again.

"Well, you'd better have these done by the end of the day. I have to submit these to the other accountants." And with that, Axel's boss exited his office, a bitter and disappointed expression printed on his face. Axel couldn't care less about his boss at the moment. Really, he needed a new job, one that would make him happy, or at least one that wouldn't force him to work at home. But for the time being, all he could do was daydream.

For the following eight hours, all the redhead did was work on filling all those forms out with a single black ink pen. There were numbers everywhere and even a calculator sat next to his arm because some equity ratios seemed inaccurate. Receipts were being ejected from a small machine and Axel groaned every time he ran out of paper. That meant he had to stop for a few minutes just to refill it with a new roll. Why couldn't he have an assistant for that?

"Axel, you shouldn't work so hard…" his secretary told him gingerly from the door, a sympathetic expression gracing her features. Every few hours she entered his office with a new cup of coffee or a donut, or something edible that would help ease his suffering. Even though it wasn't exactly helpful, Axel gave her a grateful smile and thanked her for her kind gestures. Then he went back to work, calculating, writing down numbers, and then filing them into the right folders.

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Working at home was something Axel did not sign up for. He wasn't even getting paid extra or overtime to fill in the papers he was given. Plus, others who worked in his department weren't given any extra files, just him. _"Someday I'm going to file a complaint…"_ the redhead told himself bitterly as his hand snapped an HB pencil in half. Eating dinner late was something he despised as well. At this rate he was never going to find a perfect woman or man to be his life partner. How could he ever ask anyone out at night when he was so busy with tedious work?

"_I'm searching for a new job, starting tomorrow."_ With a heavy sigh he tossed his leather briefcase onto his sofa as though it was worthless to him, and then he loosened the green and white striped tie around his neck. Axel felt exhausted since he was lacking proper rest. But he made sure he ate properly. Often people would tell him that he was thin even though he was healthy.

After several hours of typing and writing, Axel felt bored and exhausted again, so he decided to take yet another walk in the wooded area near his house. Sitting in his home office doing work was suffocating after a few hours, like smoke had suddenly filled his room. Even with his windows open, the redhead felt drained—a lack of motivation to do any work at all. It was as though his brain malfunctioned. He didn't bother with anymore calculations. So he swept up his spring jacket and whistled a playful tune as he locked the front door, not that it was really necessary since no one else lived nearby. He may have had a tedious job, but his house was nice at least. _"I need to do something fun with my life…"_ Axel kicked a few pebbles forward as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Everything in his life just seemed so bland and empty; he needed excitement or at least something new. Axel leaned against one of the many trees and huffed as he gazed up at the star-blanketed sky. Living alone and outside the city had its advantages at least. There was no light pollution or litter, so he could see numerous stars at night time and breathe in fresh air. He liked living in a nice, clean environment.

Slowly the man closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wood, allowing the gentle breeze to embrace his body. As his tense muscles loosened, a mysterious melody flowed into his ears, making them twitch. His eyes snapped open and he frantically scanned his surroundings, wondering if anyone was nearby. And after a moment of silence the lovely sound entered his ears again, like it did the night before. _"It wasn't a dream! I wasn't hallucinating!"_ After twisting his body around, the redhead rushed towards the lake nearby, brushing the irritating leaves and branches aside along the way. Without a doubt, the music was coming from there. _"I can see him again…! Or her…"_ It didn't matter what gender that mysterious being was; Axel needed to see and hear it again. He didn't realize it, but his heart was pounding at an unusual rate, thumping against his chest. Excitement pumped in his blood, and that was quite rare, considering the job he had of course. The man forced his legs to slow down as he drew closer and closer. He didn't want to be discovered, so he advanced forward cautiously, keeping his eyes peeled, and his ears alert. The soothing music became louder and louder, and Axel embraced it with his heart. Nothing sounded as beautiful as the dancing beings near the lake.

When he reached the designated location, he swallowed the thick lump in his throat and knelt down to conceal his body behind a few lush bushes. As he pushed some branches and leaves apart, he saw his favourite dancer right in front of him. Axel's heart skipped a beat. The being was closer than last time and the redhead mentally noted that it was indeed a boy. That or it was a female with a very flat chest. But still, Axel was captivated. How could the boy's voice be so beautiful and enchanting? He could have sat there for hours just listening to the unique hymns. Even though he couldn't understand their words, he felt their emotions. Axel could have easily forgotten about his work. That is until his cell phone vibrated in his left pocket and rang loudly, making him and all the dancers jump in surprise. _"Shit!"_ With haste the man fished up his phone and jabbed a red button with his thumb, while he cursed under his breath. His heart rate sped up as he expected the dancers to submerge under water or approach him. Axel wasn't sure what to do. There were strange murmurs in the background, but fear overwhelmed the redhead, so he didn't try to eavesdrop at first. But what if the dancers and singers were to flee and never return? What if they were going to punish him for spying? There were so many dangerous thoughts contaminating his mind. He wasn't even sure he could sneak away. The shifting leaves and cracking branches would give away his position for sure. All he could do was hide behind a bush and squeeze his eyes shut.

"Roxas, don't! What if it's a human?" a voice called out frantically.

Axel opened his eyes and blinked a few times as those clear words reached his ears. "They…can speak my language?" he whispered in astonishment. After mustering up enough courage he peeked through a small gap and found his favourite dancer staring back at his friends.

"And what if it isn't? It could be a woodland creature for all you know," the boy named Roxas retorted as he latched his hands firmly onto his hips. Axel noted that his robes were awfully unique and white, very pale under the glorious moonlight. Perhaps it represented purity. The sleeves of his shirt were long so even the gentlest breeze would make them flutter gracefully. There were strange patterns printed all over the robes, but Axel had no clue as to what they represented. They were beautiful though—perfect for a handsome boy. The man was captivated by the blond haired dancer. So much that he didn't realize the boy was drawing closer and closer. "Oh…" Before Axel knew it, he was discovered. "You're…a human," he whispered softly, a hint of surprise lacing his voice.

Axel swallowed thickly and nodded as he stared into the crystal blue eyes of his favourite dancer. "I-I'm sorry," he stuttered as he stood up from the ground. "I-I didn't mean to-to interrupt!" Quickly the man bowed his head apologetically and winced as he was expecting to be brutally punished.

The being cocked his head to the side and gazed at the redhead perplexedly. Before words could even escape from his lips, one of his friends had begged for his return. "Don't! What if he hurts you?" Roxas turned to his companions and shook his head, indicating that it was all right so far.

"A-are you here to hurt us?" He questioned Axel nervously as he gripped onto his robes like a lifeline, turning his knuckles white. There was no possible way to hide his fear. His voice, along with his body, quivered as he stared at the tall human in front of him. The others behind him watched nervously. Some covered their faces with their hands. Others had submerged in fear of what a human could do to one of their kin.

"N-no, no, of course not! I would never hurt you! I swear!" Axel gave the blond a promising look under the moonlight. His heart started pounding against his ribcage when Roxas looked him directly in the eyes. They were gorgeous, but were filled with a mixture of hope and concern. "I just wanted to hear _you_ today…" Roxas' eyes widened at his reason.

"He's lying!" Somehow one of the upset beings sent a wave of water flying at Axel. He took a step back and braced himself, but seconds later he realized nothing had struck him. Instead the water was miraculously hovering in front of him, and that was thanks to Roxas who had his hand up. Using his own abilities the blond had halted the wave. "What are you doing?" the boy in the water demanded with a vicious tone.

Carefully, the blond led the wave back to the lake using some hand gestures. He then turned to Axel and apologized for his companion's outburst. "He apologized already. This human has not displayed any acts of violence. Clearly he is innocent," Roxas explained to his friend, a hint of anger dripping from his voice. The accountant just gaped in astonishment; he couldn't believe he was protected by the one he admired.

"H-how did you…do that?" he asked with a dry mouth.

Before Roxas could even attempt to reply, one of his companions shouted out. "Don't tell him, Roxas! You are not obligated to!"

Said blond gave his friend an annoyed look and waved his hand, forcing the boy back into the lake by summoning a few water rings. Again, Axel was stunned by Roxas' abilities to manipulate the water nearby. "Our clan has many abilities that you humans are not capable of. Controlling water is just one of them." Axel only nodded at the boy's simple answer. It was reasonable since he was a stranger to their kind. "But I am curious…what was that strange sound you made earlier?"

"Elder Yen Sid will be upset with you!" one of the young girls cried out as she dove into the lake.

But Roxas wanted to learn more about another race; one different from his own. The beings couldn't go above the water often so they couldn't learn more about the animals or humans. It was obvious that Roxas was full of curiosity. "My cell phone?" the redhead asked, as he fished the device out of his pocket. Some of the beings inside the water treaded closer to see what Axel was holding out. He was amazed by their sheer curiosity, and Roxas' as well. It was as though they were foreign to technology…

Some of the water beings merely blinked at the small rectangular object, and some stared in awe. "Cell…phone?" Roxas brought up a finger and poked it gently as he hoped for a reaction. "Does it…do anything?" he asked gingerly, giving it yet another poke. Suddenly it rang and vibrated, and Roxas jumped backwards in surprise. Half of the viewers in the lake screamed and shifted backwards as well, fearing the ring tone.

Axel clicked his tongue in annoyance and ended the call instead of answering it. "Sorry, that was just a call." He stared at everyone and realized they were all frightened by the very sound of his phone. "It's safe. I promise."

Cautiously the blond stepped forward again, though his friends decided to stay back. "A call…do you mean to say that someone was summoning you?" Now there were murmurs in the background. All the other beings had wondered the same thing.

"Something like that," Axel replied, shrugging his shoulders. Once again their inquisitiveness amazed him. He couldn't believe Roxas and his friends did not know what a phone was, and they were even questioning a _call_ of all things. In order for them to comprehend his explanation, he had to elaborate with appropriate words. "Uh…this is a communication device we humans use when we're far away from each other. And there is a signal that allows us to reach one another. The strange noise you heard just moments ago indicates that someone was trying to contact me." He offered it to Roxas, who stared at it sceptically, his eyes narrowed.

The blond took it and studied it carefully; he snapped it open and poked a few buttons, but when he was about to press the send button, Axel snatched it back. "No long distant calls, Roxas," he pleaded nervously, hitting the red _end call_ button with his thumb.

The strange being gave him yet another awkward look. Of course, he hadn't the slightest clue as to what a long distant call was on a phone. But he _did_ know what it was like to send messages to people who were far apart. "Your way of communication is really complicated…um…"

"Axel," the man supplied oh, so graciously.

"Yes. Your way of communication is really complicated, Axel," the boy said as he pointed at the silly device in the human's hand. "Our way seems simpler." The tone of his voice had a hint of pride in it, making Axel smile for the first time all night. It was cute for a boy of Roxas' size.

Now Axel felt curiosity boiling in his blood. Everything was so dreamlike, especially since the beings of the lake could use some sort of magic or special abilities as Roxas had said just moments ago. But Axel denied the idea of it all being a dream because he felt excited for the first time in months. "And how is it simpler?"

"Don't tell him!" Roxas' friend hissed bitterly as he flailed his arms around in the water, creating large splashes. There was a hint of remorse in the redhead's emerald eyes; he didn't want to force anyone to answer his question. If Roxas was going to be punished, then Axel would have withdrawn his question.

The blond shook his head, denying the demand whole-heartedly. "Axel answered me when I asked him about _his_ communication device. So it's only fair if I do the same." He took the man's hand and led him towards the lake with a small smile painted on his lips. Sharing information about his clan with the redhead made him happy because it meant he could learn more about humans at the same time. Even if the elder was going to scold him later, Roxas decided it was all right. "How long can you stay under the water? I know humans can't breathe in there like we can."

The fact that Roxas could breathe under water did not surprise the redhead one bit. He had seen him submerge the night before. "I think I can hold it for a few minutes," Axel said with excitement shimmering in his eyes. He couldn't believe he was going to learn something special from Roxas. Silently, he promised that he would never tell a soul about the strange beings. No one would ever believe him anyway. And judging by their apprehensiveness, Axel was sure they didn't want to meet anymore humans. Many of them disappeared into the lake as the man drew closer and closer, like he was a walking time bomb. He was glad that his favourite dancer had already accepted him…or at least took interest in him.

"That's good." Roxas stepped onto the surface of the water, creating small ripples with his bare feet. To Axel's surprise the boy didn't sink at all; he just walked over it casually.

"Are you afraid of getting your robes wet?" Axel inquired cautiously, hoping that he did not offend the blond.

"I like walking on water because I can't do it that often at home. I'll sink once you come in," Roxas replied with a bright, cheerful smile, lacing his fingers behind his back. His enthusiasm was admirable to the redhead. Roxas was such a bright spirited boy who loved being outside with the rest of nature. The quiet lake was the perfect spot for him to be expressive with his singing and dancing.

Slowly the redhead removed his white shirt and dress pants so they wouldn't get soaked. Unlike Roxas, he couldn't keep his clothes dry underwater. The remaining females giggled gleefully as they gazed at Axel's unblemished figure. As soon as he noticed them, they buried their faces in the lake in an attempt to hide their blushes. "So I just go under the water as well?" the redhead asked nervously, while scratching the back of his head.

Roxas nodded and walked over to him. "Let's go deeper." As encouraging as the enthusiastic boy was, Axel couldn't help but wonder if it was all a trap. What if it was an attempt to drown him in the lake? No one would be able to find him until it was far too late. "It's all right. I'll save you if something goes wrong. I promise." The boy smiled reassuringly as he reached out a hand, requesting for Axel to accept his assistance. The man forced back a doubtful look and accepted it gingerly. Even if Roxas wasn't going to kill him, he was sure one of his kin would. Just by stepping into the large pool of water, he could sense everyone's apprehension. "I won't let them hurt you."

Axel swallowed thickly as he took small steps forward. "Can you read my mind?" He kept his head down so he could stare at the ripples his body created. His body was going deeper and deeper, and with each step he felt his heart thump against his chest.

"No," the blond replied quietly, a soft smile gracing his features. "I can sense your feelings." Axel glanced up and saw the heartening look on the boy's face. It was so warm and gentle; Axel was almost certain there was no trap. "All right, here we go." Roxas' body slowly dipped into the water until only his head was left above the surface. "Come in."

Axel obeyed and took in a deep breath. He dove into the water and looked around to find several sets of eyes staring at him worriedly. Roxas poked him with a finger and captured his attention, knowing that the redhead could only stay underwater for so long. Soon the man noticed there were bubbles swimming all around. By holding a hand out, the blond created his own small bubble. He then pressed his lips against it like he was giving it a sweet kiss. Axel squinted and realized Roxas' lips were actually moving, but he couldn't hear any words. After a few seconds, Roxas smiled and gave it a soft blow, sending it towards the intrigued redhead. It travelled towards him and popped next to his ear. _"Can you hear my voice?"_ Axel's eyes widened at such an incredible ability, then he nodded absentmindedly. It was so strange yet magical at the same time; something he never expected to see in his life. But he was utterly amazed. "We can speak to one another underwater but if we're far away we can send messages through the enchanted bubbles we create."

The redhead resurfaced so he could express his thoughts about Roxas' unique abilities. "You are astounding!" he exclaimed through his quick breaths. Water dripped from the tips of his flattened hair and his face was half covered by red, but Roxas could see the bright smile on his face. "I've never met someone so incredible before!" With that the blond turned away and blushed because no one had ever complimented him on being able to communicate underwater. All of his friends could do it after all, but it wasn't a big deal. "Thank you for showing me."

The boy nodded meekly and turned back to Axel so their eyes would connect again, ocean blue to emerald green. "We are Aquaerines, a special race that can sing hymns, use special abilities, and dance over water during spring. You may also refer to us as water spirits. Although you already know my name, I should introduce myself formally. I am Roxas Silverin."

When Axel was about to shake his hand, another Aquaerine popped up and snatched Roxas' arm. "Stop conversing with the human! What if he exposes us?" The brunet hissed as he fired an icy glare in the redhead's direction, one that told him to leave and never return.

"I swear I won't tell anyone. And I'm not going to harm you. I promise." Axel made a quick grab for Roxas hand, begging the boy to stay. For the first time in several months, the redhead was wide awake at two in the morning. Work was something he wanted to avoid for the longest time because it was the most boring thing in the world. But Roxas suddenly made his life interesting by showing him unique water techniques that only a certain race could use. Axel never felt so alive in his life.

"Sora, he swore he wouldn't hurt us!" Roxas yanked his arm free and shifted back towards the redhead.

The one named Sora shook his head vigorously and gritted his teeth, refusing to accept Axel. "You believe his words?"

"I do," the blond responded calmly, giving Axel a friendly handshake, making the brunet's jaw drop. "I don't sense anything bad in him…just…what is the word…?" It was on the tip of his tongue, but his people rarely used the word. Most of them lived happy lives back at home after all.

"Stress?" the man supplied, cocking an eyebrow. He knew the word very well.

Roxas snapped his fingers and chuckled lightly, "Ah, yes, stress." One second later, the phone in Axel's pocket rang again, making him bury his face in his hands and groan. "Someone is _calling_ you it seems."

"That's fine. We must return to our temporary home right now anyway. It is late, and the elder will wonder why we are taking our time." Sora still shot a dirty look in the redhead's direction. He couldn't believe a human impressed his brother of all Aquaerines. Even though Roxas trusted Axel, the brunet decided to keep a close eye on the man. He would never allow harm to reach his brother. "Come."

Roxas didn't struggle against Sora's grasp this time. Truthfully he wanted to stay and converse with the redhead until sunrise, but he didn't want to be scolded or punished for being distracted by a human. "Will…will I see you again?" the blond asked carefully, earning a low, disapproving growl from his brother.

"If it's all right with your friends then I would love to return later." Axel turned and began treading back towards the patch of grass where he left his clothes. The spring breeze was making him cold and he needed to return back to work soon anyway. The water spirits behind him began contemplating about whether or not they wanted him to return. Some were sceptical, and some were very interested.

"Will you bring something back to us?" one of them called out, making it clear that she was interested in objects used by humans. A few others nodded gingerly; admitting that they felt the same way, though none of them were was adventurous and passionate as Roxas.

With a cheerful nod the redhead responded with a "yes", thankful that a few others had already accepted him. One by one the water spirits disappeared into the lake. Some of them waved timidly, bidding Axel farewell. Roxas was definitely the most energetic one, but Sora yanked him down into the water before he could even shout a goodbye.

The enchanted lake was silent again to Axel's discontent. Only the moon shone onto the pool of water and a few crisp leaves floated above the surface, some creating small ripples as the gentle wind blew. Axel didn't want to return to work the following morning; he wanted to stay and talk to Roxas. They both had a desire to learn more about one another, even though their races were different. Axel had no idea Aquaerines existed; only mermaids and mermen…but then again they were just mentioned in old stories. Still, the redhead wished he could have asked more questions.

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After returning back home, Axel finished up his extra work, then slept until his alarm clock blared loudly two hours later. It sounded terrible compared to Roxas' angelic singing. He pounded the off button with a fist and then turned to his side, shielding his eyes from the sunshine beaming in from his window. The man wondered if it was all a dream again. Everything was just so phantasmagorical, like something he could have read in a children's novel. But at the same time everything felt so real. _"Roxas Silverin…"_ That was indeed an unusual name for a person. Suddenly his phone rang and shattered his thoughts, making him want to throw something out the window. It was only seven in the morning and his boss was calling him. "Axel here," the redhead sighed as he snapped open his phone.

"_Did you finish with the paper work?"_ his boss asked with a strict voice, demanding for the correct answer.

Axel rubbed the bridge of his nose and almost swore at the man he despised. But he managed to control his temper before he responded with a firm, "Yes." If only he could chuck his phone out the window and get a new one for free. Or perhaps he could one day make his boss _eat_ his phone…

"_Good."_ Without even saying goodbye, the man ended the call, making Axel growl.

The entire day of work was long and repetitive. Axel recorded ratios onto a computer and printed copies out so he could file them into folders. Even though he hated his job, he still wanted to earn money. _"Come to think of it…I never really spend money…"_ To simply put, he never had the **time** to spend his earnings. All he ever did was shop for necessities like groceries or hygienic products. He couldn't remember the last time he went out just for fun. There were amusement parks and malls everywhere in the city, but Axel never thought about going to them. _"I must be the most boring person alive…" _He heaved a sigh as he punched his stapler, connecting a stack of paper together.

"Axel, I need those papers in an hour," his boss said as he skidded by, a smug grin on his face.

"_Correction: my boss is the most boring person alive."_ Axel stood up from his chair and gathered a bunch of papers scattered all over his desk. His secretary was about to offer him another cup of coffee, but he ignored her and stalked down the nearby hallway until he reached his boss' office. The man was on the phone with his girlfriend or wife, laughing it up. Clearly he wasn't working hard enough because his desk had nothing on it except a phone, some pens, a cup of coffee, a box of donuts, and a computer which wasn't even on. All of _his_ work was evidently piled up on Axel's desk. So _that_ was why the redhead had extra work at night. _That _was why he was losing sleep. And yet he didn't get paid for the extra work.

Still the man didn't notice Axel standing in front of him, glaring poisonous daggers. The redhead snatched the phone and hung up on his the woman. "What the hell are you—" Axel interrupted as he threw all the papers in his possession all over his boss' office, creating a complete mess. "Do you think this is appropriate behaviour in _my_ office?!" the man roared, drawing attention from the rest of his employees. They all rushed over and peered into the room as Axel slammed a firm fist onto his boss' desk.

"Why don't you get off your lazy ass and do some work for a change?!" Axel roared even louder, making his boss and co-workers flinch in fear. No one had ever seen the redhead retort in such a manner before. "**Clearly** you have more time than I do. You seem to be having a wonderful time chatting on the phone with your girlfriend, while everyone is working hard to meet a bloody deadline! You know you could even **at least** turn on your computer to make it look like you're actually doing work, but no, you're too incompetent! I can't work for an idiot like you anymore."

The man sunk in his chair and stuttered as all of his employees murmured in agreement. It was obvious he was losing everyone and it was because Axel exposed him. "W-what are you saying?"

Axel chuckled and shook his head before he replied with a simple, "I quit."

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

Back at the lake, all of the Aquaerines were laughing with their friends or frolicking around. The younger water spirits practiced their hymns while the older ones relaxed since it was a beautiful spring day. The sun beamed down on the lake, making it sparkle beautifully. Reflections were very clear in the gorgeous blue pool. Roxas sat cross-legged on top of the water and stared at his own for a few minutes, then looked up when he heard a strange rustling sound. A squirrel had popped out from the bushes and sniffed around for nuts. Roxas sighed in disappointment when Axel didn't show up.

"Why are you waiting for him?" Sora took a seat next to his brother and stared at the energetic squirrel. It sniffed around a little more and then climbed the nearest tree. "He is just a human. This one can't even sing hymns and he has no special abilities whatsoever."

"If he was like one of us, he wouldn't be considered special. Humans are unique, and Axel happens to be a very kind one." With a sigh the blond fell back so he could stare up at the clouds. The water hugged the back of his body, keeping him cool under the sun.

"How do you know?" one of the female water spirits asked, curiosity filling her mind.

Smiling, the blond turned to his friend. "I can sense his feelings." The answer earned a loud, disbelieving scoff from Sora. Apparently other water spirits lacked the ability to sense the feelings of those nearby. "You don't have to believe me." Roxas glared at his brother and then snubbed him.

"Ah, so the spirits graced you with the ability to sense feelings? That's so wonderful!" the girl cheered, clapping her hands together enthusiastically. Sora rolled his eyes at her behaviour. There was nothing special about being able to sense the feelings of others. "What was that device like last night?" And by that she was referring to the uniquely shaped object that Axel had in his possession.

The blond tapped his chin thoughtfully as the image of the cell phone reflected in his mind. "It was so strange. Whenever I pushed a circle, it made a '_beep'_ sound. I have never seen such a unique object before. Humans seem very developed."

"Well, I wouldn't say _very_ developed," a familiar voice corrected with a light chuckle. Roxas quickly sat up from the water and his heart skipped a beat when he found Axel standing on land with a bright smile. They greeted one another by waving their hands, and a few Aquaerines eyed them closely. Some of the younger water spirits rushed up to Axel to see what he brought for them, while the older ones stayed far away. "I hope you weren't scolded for talking to me last night."

Roxas shook his head and grinned a wide grin, one that Sora was unfamiliar with. "The elder didn't seem to be upset, but he often holds a stern expression on his face." Slowly, the Aquaerine made his way over to the redhead, trying his best not to seem too eager. Like the night before, he walked over the water, creating small ripples with his bare feet. To Axel, it seemed like a graceful way of walking. "You really brought something for us?" the water spirit asked as he eyed the two bags in the redhead's possession.

"O-oh, yeah, I did. I said I would earlier, so I stopped by the store before I came." Axel undid a knot on one of the plastic bags and pulled out a few apples and peaches first. "I could only pick up fruits. Sorry…"

The blond automatically shook his head, appreciating the effort the redhead put into making his kin happy. "Don't be. It was very kind of you to bring us something." The Aquaerines hopped around excitedly, wondering what types of fruit the redhead brought. Some even emerged from the lake and watched as more fruit fell out of the plastic bags.

A broad smile danced across Axel's lips when he felt a rush of happy feelings inside. Being accepted by some of the Aquaerines just seemed like a miracle. "Wow, look at all of these." The water spirits stared in awe as Axel placed all types of fruit over the cloth he brought along with him. There were grapes, peaches, pears, apples, oranges, and for some odd reason, more. Even Roxas was impressed the number of fresh foods available. There were even some he had never seen in his life.

"I didn't know what types of fruits were suitable for you, so I bought whatever the store had." After setting aside the empty bags, Axel fished out a small pocket knife, earning a few gasps from the Aquaerines. It was a sharp tool that could harm the beings, but Axel didn't really think of it in such a way. Roxas tried to reassure his friends, but they still eyed the knife like it was the most dangerous object in the world. "I wanted to cut the fruit into pieces so you can each have some." Axel demonstrated by cutting a cantaloupe in half, then into thin slices. Since Roxas was the only one who truly trusted him, he offered a piece to the boy first. "I won't hurt you. I made a promise already." Without hesitation the blond accepted the piece of fruit and took a small bite. Even if Sora protested, he would have been ignored. Several others leaned in closely and observed as Roxas chewed the piece of cantaloupe slowly.

"It's very delicious," the blond stated with a cheerful smile, right before he took another bite out of the luscious fruit. One by one, the water spirits drew closer and picked up a slice of their own, and they delighted in the sweet taste. Relieved, the redhead smiled and wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his band before he cut the rest of the fruits. Even though he was slowly gaining their trust, he felt nervous inside. It was almost like stage fright before a big performance. He couldn't afford to screw up.

Axel stayed away from the group of Aquaerines soon afterwards so they could enjoy themselves. All the fruits were left on the cloth. He sat on a large rock and gazed at the clear blue sky as a sigh escaped his lips. He knew he was an outsider to the water spirits, but he just wanted to be accepted. They seemed like such a wonderful and fun group of beings. "Are you all right?" Axel turned his head and found Roxas standing over the water, staring at him with concern in his eyes, his fingers once again curling into his robes.

"Yeah…" the man replied quietly as he averted the blond's gaze.

"Thank you for bringing the fruits." Roxas hopped onto the same rock and swung his legs gently, making his pant legs flutter along with the wind. After Axel nodded, there was a moment of silence. The water spirit could tell his new friend was troubled, so he chose his words carefully. "I'm…I'm glad you came back," he began, a meek smile present on his face.

Axel's ears perked up and he stared at the blond haired beauty again. Another wonderful feeling of acceptance filled him inside. "R-really?"

A bundle of brown spikes suddenly emerged from the water, making the redhead jolt. He nearly slipped off the large rock when Sora popped out of the water. "Yes, he even waited patiently for you to arrive. Be grateful, human." The brunet crossed his arms and shot a snide look in Axel's direction, indicating that he still hadn't accepted the man yet.

"Sora, you shouldn't be so rude and inconsiderate! Axel has only shown kindness towards us," the blond retorted with a huff. He latched his hands firmly onto his hips and stared down at his older brother. "Apologize!" With a loud grunt, the brunet turned away and denied the demand. Before Roxas could even lecture him, he dove into the lake and swam towards his friends who were still frolicking over the water.

"Sorry." It was Axel who apologized with his head down. He wasn't entirely sure why he wanted to befriend the Aquaerines. Maybe it was because he needed something exciting in his life—something different from everyone else. All he did for three years straight was work as an accountant. His job was to basically notify his clients about their financial status, and add or subtract numbers. Then record them onto a spreadsheet. But here, at the lake, he met Roxas, an enthusiastic singer and dancer with a gentle heart. He was a curious water spirit gifted with strange abilities and a heavenly voice. Axel wanted to meet someone special, and he did. However, Roxas' friends weren't willing to accept him. Then again it was understandable since Axel had only known Roxas for one day.

"Don't apologize. My brother is being immature." Again the redhead made an effort to avoid those clear blue eyes. But it made Roxas frown sadly. "You seem troubled, not just by Sora," he pointed out softly, placing a hand over Axel's own, trying to comfort him.

The man chuckled and shook his head, recalling his outburst at the office. "I just have a lot on my mind." He chose not to elaborate because he didn't want to pour all of his worries onto the kind water spirit. "Thanks for worrying."

After a short nod, Roxas hopped off the rock and returned to the water. "Would you like to hear me sing?" he asked with a small smile. Yen Sid had once told the gifted Aquaerines that singing soothed the souls of others. Since the blond only knew those who lived in the sacred city underwater, he wasn't sure whether or not his hymns would work on a human. But he really wanted to sing for Axel.

To his surprise, the redhead perked up and nodded. There was a glint of excitement in his emerald eyes that encouraged the water spirit. "I would love to hear you sing."

Roxas took a few steps back and cleared his throat with a small cough. While stretching his arms out a little, he took in a deep breath to relax. Axel gave the Aquaerine his full attention. He kept his eyes locked onto Roxas' face, and his ears were eagerly waiting for the soothing tune to enter. When Roxas opened his mouth again, a strange but beautiful sound filled the area. His singing voice was very unique and soft, and it drew the attention of many others, including some woodland creatures. It took a few moments for Axel to realize the words were incomprehensible because they were in a different language, but even so he sensed Roxas' emotions. At first there were hints of hesitation, which was understandable because it was the blond's first time singing in front of a human. But as seconds passed, Roxas seemed happier and his emotions flowed into Axel's heart. They both felt at ease; comfortable around each other, and it seemed as though no one else was around. Axel smiled and watched as Roxas expressed himself through his hymns. It was all so fantastical to the redhead.

He was disappointed when the song came to an end because it was so calming and enjoyable. Axel could have listened to Roxas' voice for an eternity. "That was amazing!" When the blond opened his eyes, Axel clapped and whistled, praising the boy for his beautiful hymn. It was evident that he had completely forgotten about his job loss and the fact that the other Aquaerines hadn't accepted him yet. He was captivated by the water spirit's performance.

"R-really?" Warmth suddenly crept up the blond's cheeks, turning them pink, and once again his fingers were bunched in his robes. This was the second time Axel had complimented him on his abilities. Roxas wasn't exactly used to receiving praise from others. The ability to sing hymns was a gift he received when he was born.

"That was beautiful." Half of the Aquaerines in the lake clapped at his magnificent performance, and the birds nearby chirped excitedly, deepening Roxas' blush.

"E-everyone was listening?" He glanced around and noticed that all of his friends were clapping. Even though Sora was still disappointed in Roxas for befriending a human, he cheered. The blond bowed graciously and thanked them all for being so kind. When the crowds finally went quiet, he returned to Axel's side and presented him with a cheerful smile. "You really liked my song?" he asked, swinging his legs playfully.

"Like it? I loved it!" Axel exclaimed as he punched his fists into the air, stretching his arms towards the sky. He couldn't help but feel special, seeing how he was the only human who was allowed to hear an Aquaerine sing. A very handsome and talented Aquaerine, too. "Thank you for sharing your hymn with me."

Roxas' expression brightened up even more, if that was even possible. His crystal blue orbs glittered as he glanced up at the redhead, making the man's heart skip a beat. "The lyrics are in ancient Aquaerine language, so it's difficult to describe. The hymn is meant to bring peace to listeners, though."

It took moments for the redhead to realize that Roxas' hymn did in fact wash away his worries for the time being. It allowed the man to embrace and appreciate the nice qualities of spring, from the lush green grass to the clear blue skies. "Yeah…" Axel whispered with a gentle smile, as he closed his eyes and rested his back against the large rock.

Roxas followed up and rested on the rock beside the redhead. He took in a deep breath of fresh air and sighed contentedly. "You know more about my race now," he pointed out with a light chuckle, earning a grin from Axel. He placed his hand on the redhead's own and shook it gently. "What is the human world like?"

A small blush made its way to Axel's cheeks and a smile tugged on his lips. He was surprised that the Aquaerine was all right with holding his hand already, but at the same time he enjoyed it. Roxas' touch was just so gentle and warm. "W-well…it's very quiet _here_, but the city is always busy. People are always walking along the streets and cars and buses are always running." When Axel saw that Roxas had turned to him, he tore his eyes away and stared at a single drifting cloud in the sky. His reaction had surprised him soon afterwards.

"What is a…car? Or a bus?" the Aquaerine asked with a raised eyebrow. Curiosity had suddenly filled the boy's mind again. It was hard for him to imagine machines since his race lived a different life from the humans. Still, he wouldn't have minded a vague description.

"I can show you a picture next time," Axel replied brightly, snapping his fingers. There was a laptop sitting on his desk at home, and it was the one he often used for work. During his lunch breaks he would enter numbers into a certain program and then save the file for later. "I can show it to you on a machine called a laptop. Another word for it is notebook." The Aquaerine gaped at him perplexedly. Laptop and notebook meant nothing to him at the moment. "Don't worry, I'll bring it tomorrow…if I'm allowed to visit again, that is."

Right away the blond nodded his head energetically, welcoming the man without asking his kin if it was all right. But they weren't as harsh on Axel as they were the night before, so Roxas didn't think of it as an issue anyway. Everything went smoothly since the man offered fruit and tried his best to prove that he wasn't a harmful human. "Please visit me whenever you have time," the Aquaerine requested gingerly.

Axel nearly scoffed, thinking, _"I have all the time in the world now…"_ Then he stared at the blond who blinked innocently, wondering what was on the man's mind. "Yeah, I'll come."

With that confirmed, some of the young water spirits nearby shouted a cheerful, "Yay!" It was actually quite an adorable sight to the redhead. Even Roxas shot his hands up into the air and cheered joyfully, knowing his human friend was going to return the next day. There were still a few sceptical Aquaerines who were closer than they were the night before, but still cautious, especially Sora.

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

"What _is_ that monstrosity?!" Roxas gasped as he gazed at the image of a Hummer on the laptop screen. It was one of the largest cars around at the time, but of course, the Aquaerines had no idea. They just gaped at the strange contraption wondering what it exactly did. There were several parts on the car that confused the beings. Wheels, car doors, and bumpers were brand new and peculiar to them all. The only thing they were familiar with was the window.

"This is just a larger version of a car." Axel had saved the images from the Internet the night before while he was job searching. He found blueprints and all sorts of neat things that involved cars…except crashes. Earlier he had difficulty explaining the functions of the laptop as well. Many Aquaerines approached it, poked it, and attempted to magically throw water or bubbles onto it, fearing it was a destructive device. But Roxas stopped the water to Axel's relief. He claimed that it would destroy the laptop, so the blond didn't want his kin damaging it. Eventually they all just agreed it was a larger version of the cell phone, except in this case there were more buttons and functions. Axel laughed at that thought. "We humans travel inside of these." He pointed at one of the many cars displayed on the screen.

"How?" one of the curious Aquaerines asked.

Axel clicked the mouse a few times and brought up an image where people were sitting inside a car. "Oh, my, that ve-hicle ate them!" Roxas exclaimed as he studied the image. Several others murmured in agreement, seeing how people were _stuck_ inside a car.

Chuckling, Axel shook his head, though he _did_ adore Roxas' innocence. "No, we go inside to ride it and then drive people around the city." The Aquaerines just nodded; some just pretending to understand what Axel had just said. He elaborated soon afterwards because he knew he wasn't explaining it all very well at the beginning. It was hard to describe what an advanced vehicle was like anyway. _"Better download a video next time…"_

After the Aquaerines had seen enough cars, they went back into the water to practice their hymns, including Roxas. They sang everyday and performed at night while dancing over the waters. Axel sat on a patch of grass and watched whenever he had the chance, and he still always found himself mesmerized by Roxas. That particular Aquaerine danced so frivolously and his voice was so enchanting. Who _wouldn't_ watch and listen to him? Roxas was so kind, playful, generous, and trusting; Axel loved being near him. All of his worries wilted away like leaves did during autumn.

"Are you thirsty?" Roxas popped up in front of Axel, bursting his thoughts, making him jump and fall backwards, his back hitting the grass. The blond laughed for a few moments and commented on how strange and silly the redhead was. "I can purify the lake's water for you. Come." Without hesitating, Roxas tugged on the man's sleeve and literally dragged him towards the water. Secretly, the Aquaerine wanted to impress Axel by showing him all sorts of new things. He adored the flattering remarks he received; it made him feel optimistic about his growing abilities. Plus he really liked Axel.

When Roxas reached the lake, he knelt down and dipped his hands into the clear blue water. It probably wasn't as clean is it seemed since there were beings playing in it. Axel accepted the offer and sat beside Roxas, eagerly waiting for his purified water. Slowly, the Aquaerine swirled the water around, forcing out any dirt or unwanted minerals like rocks, and then scooped up a handful. He presented the clean water in front of Axel's face and smiled brightly. "Y-you want me to drink it out of your hands?" the man asked meekly, while scratching his cheek with a finger. The water spirit nodded positively and nudged his hands forward, urging the redhead to accept the offer. Axel took the hint and brought his lips to the blond's finger tips first. Then he slowly drained the water out of the Aquaerine's small hands. The refreshing sensation swam down Axel's throat, making him smile. It was so strange; water had always tasted the same to Axel, whether it was from a tap or a bottle, but this was different. It seemed better and cleaner somehow. Roxas mirrored his friend's expression as he drew his hands back. "That…was some pretty good water." The man wiped his wet lips with a sleeve and thanked the blond for the delightful drink.

"You're welcome." The young Aquaerine replied somewhat timidly and laced his fingers behind his back. "It's the least I can do…since you always show me wonderful things."

Axel scoffed and waved his hands at Roxas' silly comment. "Believe me, the most wonderful thing out here is your singing and dancing," he blurted out, accidentally, forcing a blush to explode onto his cheeks soon afterwards. Even though it made Roxas utterly happy inside, he blushed as well. He brought his hands up and used the baggy sleeves of his garment to hide his entire face. "W-what's wrong?" Axel asked urgently as he moved around, trying to get a good look at Roxas' expression. The Aquaerine peeked up for a split second and then retreated, shaking his head vigorously. "Did I-I do something wrong?" Again the Aquaerine shook his head, but Axel was completely baffled and worried. What could he have done to make Roxas so defensive? The boy was hiding from him! What if he was crying?!

Sora suddenly emerged from the water and scoffed at the redhead's stupidity. He rested an elbow on the surface and leaned on it. "He's either embarrassed or extremely flattered," he droned, as he waved a hand, making beads of water fly from the tips of his fingers. Before he knew it, his younger brother swiftly swung an arm and caused a wave of water to wash over his face. Axel turned around and found a very flushed, but irritated Roxas glaring at the brunet.

"D-don't tell him!" he demanded shrilly.

A devious idea suddenly popped up in the brunet's mind. If he were to tell Axel about Roxas' reaction then perhaps the human would finally leave his brother alone. Maybe Axel would be shocked and disgusted by Roxas' unusual behaviour. It was definitely worth a shot. "Whenever Roxas gets flustered," Sora began slowly, shifting his gaze from his nervous brother to Axel, "he covers his face with his sleeves to hide his embarrassment. He doesn't want anyone to see him like that, especially a _human_."

Roxas just sat still as though petrified by his older brother's words. He couldn't believe Sora had just betrayed him and told Axel about his stupid reaction. It made his face even redder than it was just moments ago, and it was visible under the bright sunlight. If only he could control the weather…Roxas would whip up tornadoes or storms, even on a gorgeous spring day, and throw them at Sora until he begged for forgiveness. But that was all just from imagination, unfortunately. "Is that true?" he heard Axel ask. The Aquaerine's heart rate sped up from panic. Lying to Axel would have been wrong, and it would have gone against his beliefs. So he swallowed the thick lump in his throat and nodded meekly.

"See? Don't you think it's sad?" Sora crossed his arms over his chest and fought back a smirk as he eagerly waited for the redhead's answer. _"Now he'll definitely leave Roxas alone!"_ And so, triumphant thoughts had already begun to fill the brunet's mind.

In reality though, Axel scratched the back of his head and looked up at the azure sky in an attempt to avoid Roxas' gaze. "Actually…it's sort of…cute." Really, it wasn't a big deal to him at all. In fact it made the Aquaerine seem even more special. It was like a cute addition to his other amazing qualities.

After blinking several times, Roxas looked up at Axel, astonished and somewhat relieved by the answer he had just received. "W-what?"

"**What?!**" Sora followed up in shock, his eyes wide.

"W-well, t-that's my opinion. I think it makes him cute and-and even more unique," the redhead explained through his embarrassment. Admitting that a boy was cute was strange for Axel, but it was still the truth. He shifted his eyes nervously as a bright blush spread all over his cheeks.

Sora raised an eyebrow suspiciously, refusing to believe Axel. "Are you serious?" he asked with sarcasm lacing his words.

"He…he isn't lying," Roxas cut in quietly, bunching his fingers in his snow white robe. When the other two laid eyes upon him, he brought up his arms and covered his face in his sleeves again, hiding his embarrassment. Silently, he prayed they would stop staring at him.

Axel tried to take a peek at Roxas' face again anyway, but the Aquaerine sensed it and just turned his body. A smile danced across Axel's lips as he stared at his friend's back. _"He's doing it again."_

"Unbelievable…" After giving the man another spiteful look, Sora twisted his body around and dove into the water. He silently swore he wouldn't let anything bad happen to his younger brother. _"No __**human**__ is going to bring harm to Roxas!"_ As Sora swam towards the crowd of playful Aquaerines near the centre of the lake, one of his friends approached him from behind, snickering. "What do you want, Riku?" the brunet hissed indignantly through his gritted teeth.

The silver haired Aquaerine shrugged nonchalantly, though a smirk seemed to be attached to his lips. He swam beside Sora, neck in neck. "You do realize that was a horrible attempt to push them apart, right?" Sora tried to throw a fistful of bubbles at his friend's face, but Riku caught them with a single hand and laughed. To him it was a predictable attack from the brunet whenever he was angry. "So Roxas befriended a human. What's the big deal? They get along _very_ well from what I see."

After heaving a sigh the brunet swam to the surface, allowing the sun to beam down on his pale face. Seconds later, Riku popped up from the water, though he was dry for the most part. Sora often liked the cool sensation of water slipping down his face, so he was still drenched. He leaned forward and rested his chin on his arms, which were floating over the lake's water. Then he sighed heavily again. "I don't trust Axel. What if he tries to hurt Roxas?"

Riku found a nearby rock and leaned his back against it as his eyes focused on Axel and Roxas. They were still having delightful conversations on top of a large rock. "The human has shown us nothing but kindness so far. He has given us more information about his world and even brought us gifts the other day. Plus he treats Roxas really well. Your brother seems happier than usual…and normally he's really happy." From far away he could see the blond smiling brightly as Axel spoke and gestured his hands.

Sora released a frustrated groan as he ran his hands wildly through his brown spikes. Of course Roxas was happy! That particular Aquaerine wanted to learn about humans for the longest time, but now he was really attached to one. It was so unnatural. "What if my brother is falling in love with the human?!" For a few moments, images of Axel and Roxas together contaminated the brunet's mind. He could see them laughing together, smiling, hugging, and even kissing under the moonlight. All of these dreadful thoughts made Sora cringe.

But Axel and Roxas could only be happy together for so long. Everything would shatter because the redhead would eventually abandon the Aquaerine for someone else. _"Roxas will be swallowed up by depression and his hymns will not sound as wonderful anymore._" And it was all going to be the human's fault! "I can't let Roxas fall in love with him."

Riku snorted and pointed his index finger in Axel and Roxas' direction. "I don't think you can do much about it now. I mean, this is the third time Roxas hid behind his sleeves today. He must be really shy around the human now." Soon afterwards the blond lowered his arms and said something that Riku couldn't understand. But that was because he was too far.

A gasp escaped Sora's lips when the two held hands, their fingers entwined. There were light blushes on their cheeks as well. These were obvious signs of a developing crush. "It's already happening…"

The silver haired Aquaerine merely shrugged, not caring about the scene in front of him. "Just let them—"

"Ah!" Sora cried out as he pointed a trembling finger at Axel and Roxas. It seemed as though the two were inching closer and closer to one another. The redhead was trying to envelop Roxas in his arms! Or at least that was what it looked like! But Sora would have none of that. He punched his fist into the lake and caused water to spit up in Axel's face.

"Sora!" Riku hissed viciously as heard the redhead gasp and sputter. Clearly the brunet went too far with his 'punishment'. His behaviour was very inappropriate for an Aquaerine. "You're being immature, especially since the human has done nothing wrong." He quickly glanced up and found Roxas removing the water in Axel's hair, a worried expression plastered on his face. Unfortunately he didn't realize that Sora was the one who attacked the redhead. "Look at how much your brother cares about him. Why won't you just let them be?"

Frustrated, the brunet buried his face in his hands and sighed. "We will be leaving in a few weeks. I don't want Roxas to be heartbroken…"

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

After another long performance under the star-blanketed sky, the Aquaerines sat around and relaxed. They were an energetic bunch that enjoyed dancing and singing over the water. Axel thought their voices were beautiful and mystical and he still couldn't believe he was mesmerized by them every time. Their voices would echo into the night as if they were trying to reach someone special from far away. When Axel asked Roxas what their hymns were about, the Aquaerine told him that it was a tradition to sing to the spirits during spring. Tradition also meant wearing the pure white robes everyday. "The symbols and writing on our robes also ask that the spirits watch over us for another year." Almost like a prayer…

With a nod, Axel fell back onto the grass and took in a deep breath of fresh air. He felt like he was in paradise when he was with Roxas. To be able to see him dance frivolously, and to be able to hear him sing those hymns with his amazing voice was a privilege. The Aquaerine was a marvellous being, and Axel was glad he befriended him. He stared up at the night sky and smiled at the sparkling stars.

Roxas lay down beside him and mirrored his expression. "They're beautiful," he whispered breathlessly, stretching his arms towards the sky, making it seem as though he was trying to touch the stars. But they were beyond his reach.

Axel chuckled softly and turned his body so he could face the Aquaerine. "How often do you get to see these?"

After humming thoughtfully to himself, Roxas said, "A few times each year." He carefully slid his fingers between Axel's and presented the human with a gentle smile. "This year was the best so far." Thankfully the redhead knew what Roxas had meant when he said that. It made him blush under the moonlight, and unfortunately for him it was very obvious. The shade of the blush contrasted the paleness of his face. It made Roxas laugh, but he was truly glad that Axel understood him. "Do humans stargaze often?"

The redhead would have spouted out the answer right away, but he realized that _couples_ normally sat under the stars and leaned on each others shoulders in a romantic way. Then they would gaze into each other's eyes and kiss. But he couldn't just tell Roxas that; it was too awkward. They were already in a romantic situation. Axel and Roxas were right beside each other, hand in hand, gazing up at the beautiful night together, content. Neither of them would give the moment up for anything in the world. Axel just wanted to hold onto the optimistic little blond forever. And it was then that Axel had finally realized he was falling in love with an Aquaerine. Was it wrong to love another being though? Was it wrong to feel this way about another male? A swirl of strange emotions filled him inside.

"Axel?" the blond asked as he waved his free hand over the man's face.

"U-um…sometimes—a lot of the times if it's this beautiful." Even Axel didn't know the correct answer himself. "Maybe it depends on the occasion…" He felt his heart pound against his ribcage, threatening to rip out his chest. But for some reason…it was a wonderful sensation. It was something he had never experienced before…but he liked it.

Sensing Axel's feelings, the blond tilted his head to the side. They were so unusual—indescribable even. "Are you all right?"

When Axel turned he found Roxas staring at him worriedly; his gorgeous blue eyes gazing right into Axel's emerald ones. His expression was beautiful even though it was filled with concern…so breathtaking. Unfortunately, Axel couldn't deny that; his rapidly beating heart wouldn't let him. But Roxas seemed to really care about him at least. "Yeah," the redhead answered with a gentle smile. "Everything is perfect."

The Aquaerine chuckled and shifted closer, warming up to Axel even more. "Good," he whispered. "If you visit tomorrow, do you want to swim with me?"

Feeling satisfied with himself, the redhead nodded and answered with a simple, "Yes."

Roxas experienced feelings of joy inside and suddenly had an urge to sing a quiet hymn for Axel. His lips parted and a beautiful sound escaped, making Axel's ears tingle with joy. The incomprehensible words were beautiful and soothing; he loved them. The redhead closed his eyes and relaxed while the Aquaerine sang his song. And they stayed like that until it was time to leave.


	2. Part 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts or its characters.

**A/N:** This chapter feels a bit short or rushed or something, but I guess it's meant to be, seeing how this story is a three-shot. I'll edit or look over it again when I have free time. So excuse my spelling and grammatical errors for now.

I shall be gone for two weeks because I am heading off to Europe. XD I just wanted to post this for Sule!

Thanks for the reviews.

Word count: 11 309

Enjoy!

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**Spring Spirit**

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The days of spring were still gorgeous and sunny, and the weather was never too hot or too cold. It was perfect as long as there was a gentle breeze. Animals were hopping around in the woods, chasing one another and getting ready to mate for the season. They rushed passed the shrubs and trees, dodging the sharp twigs and ticklish green leaves. The squirrels climbed up trees effortlessly as they carried their nuts in their mouths. The butterflies danced under the sunlight and made it seem like they were playing tag at times. The ducks in the pond swam beside a partner most the time, kicking their webbed feet in the water to move. Sometimes they were picked up by the Aquaerines who deemed them as interesting creatures. Ducks were colourful little birds that made strange…_quacking_ sounds. As one of them advanced towards Roxas, he stared at it carefully while sitting very still. It poked his traditional garments with its beak and the Aquaerine raised an eyebrow. He slowly reached forward and picked it up, surprised that the creature didn't struggle. "How does it change colour…?" Roxas stared at one of the ducklings and then hummed thoughtfully. The babies were only one colour but the ducks had at least three. How strange…

When he tried flipping it upside down, it quacked loudly, fluttered its wings, and made Roxas shout out in surprise. Immediately, the Aquaerine released it and placed a hand over his chest.

"They don't like being flipped around." The blond's ears twitched as he heard Axel approaching from the usual spot. He whirled his body around in the water and smiled brightly when he saw Axel chuckling, though his hands were behind his back. "Sorry I'm a little late."

Roxas pulled his body out of the water and walked towards the redhead. "That's all right. We were practicing our hymns earlier."

A childish pout formed on Axel's face and the Aquaerine chuckled softly. "I can't believe I missed it," he replied in awe. It didn't take long for him to notice the curiosity shimmering in Roxas' eyes. The Aquaerine seemedvery interested in the items he hid behind his back. Axel cleared his throat with a loud cough and then blushed as he revealed the beautiful gift he brought. "You said you wanted to see what types were around the area last time…"

There were at least twelve different types of flowers in the colourful bouquet. A wide grin danced across Roxas' lips as he accepted them into his arms. A few petals fluttered helplessly in the air during the transfer. Nature always seemed so beautiful to Roxas. It was too bad he only saw spring once per year. "They're really beautiful. I didn't know there were so many different types of flowers that bloomed near the lake."

"I didn't know either, not until you asked me to bring them at least." Axel had begun naming the different types of flowers to Roxas. He had researched them on the Internet earlier so he could impress the Aquaerine, and so far it was a success. They sat at in front of the lake and dipped their feet into the water as they conversed.

Sora peered at them from far away and then scoffed bitterly. He crossed his arms over his chest and whipped his head away from the revolting sight. How could a human suddenly steal his brother's heart? It had only been two weeks and they were closer than ever. Axel even gave Roxas _flowers_. The man wanted to confess his intimate feelings soon. "There's only one thing I can do now…"

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

As usual, Axel and Roxas watched the stars together at night, hand in hand, and discussed their daily lives. When Axel told him about the large buildings that reached the sky, the blond couldn't believe it. But then again, Axel couldn't believe that the Aquaerines' homes were made of coral and large stones. "We wouldn't have access to the materials you do though," Roxas explained with a light chuckle. Then Axel realized that the Aquaerines wouldn't be able to use cement or have bricks underwater; they had to use the resources that they had access to. "What do humans do with their free time?"

For the past few weeks, Axel just searched for jobs and bought necessities for his home. And during the afternoon he would pay a visit to the Aquaerines. "We spend time with our friends by going to the malls. Sometimes we watch movies and shop for gifts or things we like." All the foreign terms confused but fascinated Roxas. Every time he heard something new, he asked Axel to define it. He truly wanted to witness a mall or watch a movie one day…if he was ever granted permission. Perhaps asking the elder wasn't a bad idea.

"What do you all do?" Axel asked quietly.

"We play with the creatures underwater sometimes, but we are often learning more about our kind. There are also times where we learn more about humans as well." With that said, a wide smile formed on Roxas' face. He couldn't hide the fact that he loved learning about people. "During the year we visit different lands to see the animals. But spring is always the best here."

Unfortunately, one of Roxas' friends had to interrupt his conversation with Axel. "We should return to our temporary home soon, Roxas. The meals have been prepared."

With a disappointed sigh the Aquaerine let his fingers slip away from Axel's own. "I suppose I should return. Will you visit again tomorrow?" Roxas asked that same question every night, fearing that the redhead would leave him one day. He loved seeing Axel though.

The man nodded cheerfully as he stood up from the ground and patted the dirt off his pants. "I will." He was always surprised when Roxas asked that question. **Of course** he would visit the Aquaerines whenever he had the chance.

Suddenly the blond leaned forward, his face drawing closer and closer towards Axel's own. His fingers were laced behind his back and his eyes were half lidded. Axel's heart skipped a beat and his eyes were wider than ever. He felt heat spread all over his face when Roxas' body was practically touching his own. The man looped his arm around the blond's body carefully, pulling him closer, taking the hint. After swallowing once the man closed his eyes and leaned forward slowly.

"Roxas help us gather the children!" one of the Aquaerines shouted out from the lake, destroying the romantic atmosphere.

With a deep sigh the blond pushed away and made an effort to avert Axel's disappointed gaze. He felt as though he couldn't do _anything_ with the redhead without getting interrupted by one of his kin. "I should go…" he said quietly. But before he turned away, Axel gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, making Roxas' crystal blue eyes bulge. He blushed and placed a hand over the sweet tingling spot on his face, then looked up and found the redhead smiling. Roxas quickly brought up his sleeves and shielded his bright pink face from Axel.

"Don't push yourself too hard then," the man chirped, right before he brushed Roxas' hair with a hand. "I'll see you tomorrow then." Axel whirled around and began walking back towards his home, while whistling a playful tune. Moments later the Aquaerine peeked up and realized that Axel had left. A dreamy sigh slipped passed his lips as his face tingled in delight. His heart was overwhelmed with joy.

Soon afterwards Roxas gathered the children with an unusual grin glued to his face. The other Aquaerines questioned his cheerful behaviour, but he simply told them that Axel had taught him about flowers earlier.

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

Back in his dimly lit office, Axel had begun searching up suitable jobs on his computer. As long as he didn't have return to his idiotic former boss, he was all right with almost anything. Axel scrolled down the page and found an interesting position: teaching accounting at a ninth grade level. _"But I don't even like accounting that much…"_ Still, that was all he really knew. He could have easily taught math as well, but not geography or history. Becoming a teacher didn't sound like a bad idea though. He would be helping people and he wouldn't have to sit quietly in an office, entering numbers into a spreadsheet.

With a quiet groan, the man rubbed his temples and decided to get up for a coffee break. He shuffled into the kitchen and filled the coffee maker with beans and water, then hit a few buttons. While waiting for his hot beverage, the man sat in one of the chairs and relaxed. Thoughts about Roxas flooded into his mind, making him smile subconsciously. _"I can't believe I kissed him…"_ The way Roxas reacted was unbelievably cute, and Axel even wanted to hug him like a teddy bear at that very moment. But the other Aquaerines needed him, so it would have been inappropriate. _"Next time…for sure,"_ Axel thought with determination.

Something suddenly tapped on his kitchen window, making him arch an eyebrow. No one lived nearby, so it must have been a woodland creature. He undid the blinds and found Sora glaring directly right at him. Axel shouted out and took several steps back until he hit the kitchen table. "S-Sora?"

"You should be polite and let me in…" the brunet murmured icily.

Axel had a feeling that this wasn't going to end well. Something just churned in his stomach when he sensed the tone of the Aquaerine's voice. "Right…" He was positive that Sora was trying to push him away from Roxas again. The very idea made him cringe, especially when he opened the back door; Axel was practically welcoming his enemy into his home. "Would you like a drink?" he asked coolly.

The brunet politely wiped his bare feet over the rug before he stepped onto the clean kitchen tiles. Then he tilted his head up and gave Axel a dull look. "No thank you," he murmured with a cold tone.

Shrugging, the man returned to his coffee maker and began pouring a drink for himself. Sora may not have wanted one, but he certainly did. "How did you find my house?" he asked carefully, piercing the Aquaerine with his emerald eyes.

While exploring the kitchen furniture with his eyes, the brunet answered, "Roxas has been gifted with the ability to sense feelings. I was gifted with the ability to hear sounds from afar if I really want to. I heard that…strange contraption you have there." He raised a hand and pointed at the coffee maker, which was now soundless. Although he was surprised that it was silent now, he refused to admit it to someone he despised. The entire kitchen was intriguing because he had never seen any of the materials before. Sora knew Roxas would have been fascinated by it all, and he would have touched everything. Surely there would be a mess in the end…

Axel heaved a deep sigh as he plumped into one of the kitchen chairs. He stirred his coffee mixed with milk and sugar with a small spoon. "What brings you here tonight? Shouldn't you be with your friends?"

"I needed to speak with you," Sora immediately replied.

"Oh?" The redhead sat up straight and cross one leg over the other as he offered his undivided attention to Sora. For once the brunet wanted to talk and not abuse him with hurtful words or water spraying techniques. How shocking…

The Aquaerine drummed his fingers on the surface of the table. "I want you to stay away from my brother." Before Axel could respond, Sora raised a hand to keep him silent. "I know how you feel about him…He is beginning to feel the same about you, but I don't want anything to happen between the two of you because he will get hurt in the end. And it is unnatural for a human and an Aquaerine to fall in love."

Irritated, the man slammed the table with a flat hand, making his coffee mug tremble. "I don't care about our different cultures or races; I really like him, and I won't hurt him! I visit everyday and try to make him happy by answering all of his questions. For the past few weeks I spent time learning more about him in the lake. He showed me just how incredible he is." Axel huffed tiredly as he leaned on an elbow. "It's not as though the time we spent together meant nothing. I do love him." It didn't matter what the differences were. Love was love to Axel.

"You can't stay with him forever…" Sora noted quietly, remorse equipped to his words for once. Stunned, the redhead was speechless even though he wanted to ask why. Sora could see it in his expression. "We are returning home at the end of spring, and that is in two weeks. If you continue visiting him, he will want to see you more often. But when we leave, don't you think his heart will be broken? You must distant yourself for his sake."

For once in his life Axel was happy and it was all because of the Aquaerines. They were mystical beings that showed him amazing things that he'd never even dreamed of before. Of course Axel didn't want to hurt Roxas, but he didn't want to just stop seeing him either. It was cruel and unfair. "I don't want to…" he replied solemnly, aiming his head down in an apologetic manner.

Sora shook his head and shot a frigid look in Axel's direction, one that said he was making a terrible mistake. The Aquaerine refused to give up so soon. This was all for Roxas. "You're being selfish. This is for my brother's happiness. If he falls in love with you then he will want to stay with you. His friends and family members will miss him and won't be able to see him for another year."

Even if Roxas wasn't in love with him, Axel still believed he was going to miss the Aquaerine dearly. They had the most fun together; sitting under the stars, sharing stories about their pasts, and understanding one another even though they were different. Axel liked having a special someone to talk to and he loved listening to Roxas' hymns. But…if Roxas' happiness was on the line, then the redhead wasn't allowed to be selfish. He didn't want to see the water spirit heartbroken in the end. "If it means he won't be sad when he leaves…then I'll keep myself away…" Axel didn't want to be the one to take Roxas away from his family and friends either. They needed Roxas more than he did after all.

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

The following morning was bright and sunny as usual. All of the Aquaerines had emerged from the lake and stretched their arms towards the sky while taking in a deep breath of fresh air. Roxas was one of the few who had a broad smile on his face, one that said he was one of the happiest Aquaerines around. He still couldn't believe Axel had pecked him on the cheek the other night, but his heart was filled with bliss. There were powerful urges to sing, but it was still early in the day. Half of his kin were still half asleep. Roxas decided to just frolic underwater for the time being. All of his friends gave him strange looks, but Hayner, one of Roxas' best friends, claimed that Axel had kissed him the other night. It was apparently seen by a water spirit who happened to pass by while chasing after one of the younger ones. Rumours spread all around.

"What is it like to be in love with a human?" one of his friends had suddenly asked, his eyes drowning in curiosity. The female Aquaerines drew closer to eavesdrop on the conversation. They were quite curious about love as young women.

Roxas floated over the water and gazed up at the puffy clouds which passed by slowly. It was as though he was living in heaven; the surface world suddenly seemed much better than living in a world filled with only water. "Axel is such a kind and magnificent human. It would be difficult to compare him to an Aquaerine." Still, the water spirit sighed dreamily as he gently waved his arms in the water, making his body move backwards. Roxas was positive he was infatuated by a human being and it felt so right. Nothing seemed awkward at all, and Axel even appreciated all of his unique qualities. "I can't wait to see him today!" the water spirit whispered with excitement dripping from his words.

There were murmurs all around, some were good and some were bad. The good conversed about true love between a human and an Aquaerine. It seemed so special and rare, like it was unheard of. Then the others disagreed with Axel and Roxas' love for one another. It was wrong for Aquaerines to fall in love with beings different from their own. "You shouldn't wait for him today," Sora said quietly as he swam towards his younger brother, a solemn expression painted over his face.

Roxas sighed as he sat up to shake off the water from his hair. He was growing tired of Sora's attempts to break him and Axel apart. They weren't even officially together…just really close friends. "I want to wait." With that said, the brunet huffed and drifted away, unable to find the will to retort. Guilt weighed heavily on his heart, and he knew that Roxas was going to be hurt once Axel didn't show up…but it was for his own good. The female Aquaerines on the other hand, sighed dreamily at Roxas' answer. They even clasped their hands together and leaned against one another.

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The day passed by slowly and the Aquaerines did their daily routine; they practiced their hymns and danced their traditional dance over the purified water. Their songs were filled with delight thanks to a particular overjoyed Aquaerine who practically sang his heart out. Roxas just couldn't find a way to contain his emotions. He loved dancing and singing, and Axel. All of those combined made him feel enthusiastic. Even the elder Yen Sid commented on how passionate the Aquaerine was during his activities. Of course, he didn't deny the fact that he was pleased. And it didn't seem to bother him when he found out that Roxas was infatuated by a human. He was sure that Roxas was mature enough to decide who he wanted to love, Aquaerine or human.

After thanking the elder, Roxas gladly sat in his regular spot and waited for Axel to arrive. He was so happy inside that he had a song ready for the man. There were times when he even thought about singing a song that expressed love, but then he felt too embarrassed and buried his face into his sleeves. The nearby water spirits arched their eyebrows perplexedly in his direction whenever they swam by, wondering why he was covering his face. Sora sat in a shady area on land and eyed his brother with an unreadable expression plastered on his face. What he did was for Roxas' sake…though the blond was going to be terribly upset afterwards. But at least he wouldn't be _as_ heartbroken later… When Sora saw how happy his brother was earlier, he felt nothing but remorse inside. Surely he did the right thing by pushing Axel away. With a frustrated groan, the brunet smashed the back of his head against the tree behind him several times, wondering why he felt like the enemy.

As time passed, Roxas grew worried and he had begun tapping his fingers over the surface of the lake, creating multiple ripples that clashed against one another. Axel would have arrived a few hours ago, but there was no sign of him. A frown eventually spread across the Aquaerine's lips. Unfortunately it was visible under the sunlight, and those who passed by asked him if he was all right. Roxas merely nodded and said nothing since they probably wouldn't have understood his situation anyway. Aquaerines spent most of their time frolicking over the water…not moping around.

Soon, the evening colours tainted the sky, making the clouds purple, blue, and pink. The surface of the lake was dyed a beautiful orange, though Roxas barely gave it any attention. All he did was swirl his finger in the water and stare at the woods. "Maybe he isn't coming today…" Sora muttered from behind.

Without turning around, Roxas replied in a near whisper, "Something must be wrong…Axel wouldn't lie to me…" His voice had a hint of hope in it even though it was filled with sadness. It was hard for Sora to believe that his brother was truly in love with the human. There were short moments when Sora considered telling Roxas about his talk with Axel, but then the blond would have been really upset. It actually pained Sora's heart dearly when he saw how depressed his brother was though.

During the nightly dance, Roxas was very unenthusiastic and his dances were much duller than usual. He was the most passionate singer and dancer before, and now he was the quietest singer and most unenthusiastic dancer. But he couldn't help it. He felt so worried and hurt inside because he didn't know the truth. What if Axel was hurt? What if Axel wanted to make it but had an emergency? Then there was a possible reason for Axel's absence that frightened Roxas inside…what if Axel was actually tired of seeing him? In an attempt to eliminate his negative thoughts, the Aquaerine returned to his spot and waited patiently for Axel, almost like a loyal dog would for its master. _"You will come…won't you?"_

"Roxas…I don't think he's coming today." Sora tugged on his shoulder and tried to move him away, but the blond refused to budge at all. He was hopeful and he believed in Axel. If he waited for another hour, perhaps the man would arrive and apologize for being extremely late. Axel wasn't always on time anyway.

"You don't know that…" Roxas bit his lower lip and just stared ahead, not knowing that Sora did indeed know the truth. Once again, the brunet drifted away and said nothing. Guilt continued building up inside, but Sora chose to endure it. It wasn't right for Roxas to love a human. Their love could never last forever.

Finally it was time for all of the Aquaerines to return to their temporary home, but Roxas still sat in his spot, waiting. He kept telling himself that Axel had a valid reason for being absent or extremely late. That little glitter of hope left inside was slowly fading away. But Roxas wanted to keep it there, so he stood up and walked into the woods when no one was watching. "Axel said he would come today…" It was his first time walking through the woods so he felt nervous and a bit frightened because the animals produced a lot of noise. The tall trees with countless leaves prevented the moonlight from beaming down into the woods, so it was rather dark, but Roxas was determined. He knew Axel lived nearby at least. There was only one small house around the area…not that Roxas even knew what a house looked like, but he was sure he could recognize it once he saw it. His heart pounded rapidly inside his chest as he advanced forward cautiously. He clutched onto the nearest tree every time he took another step, and sometimes he shivered a little when the wind whistled into his ears. Twenty minutes had passed and Roxas felt as though he was going around in circles. He felt lost and alone, and even heartbroken, but he still wanted to find Axel. _"He would do the same for me…"_

After another ten minutes of wandering, Roxas finally found a strange structure that was different from all of the trees. _"So this is a home for humans…"_ It was large and it almost looked like a cabin since it was made of wood. Roxas stared in awe as he searched for an entrance. It was such a peculiar structure; he had never seen one like it before. After walking around it, he finally found a set of stairs that led up to a door. Roxas had at least seen doors before so he knew that he was going in the right direction. "A-Axel?" he called out nervously when he noticed a strange light inside. "Axel…are…are you there?"

A few seconds passed before the man poked his head out a window, his eyes wide in shock. "R-Roxas?" he whispered breathlessly, once he laid eyes upon the timid looking Aquaerine. He simply couldn't believe the blond found his home. "What are you—"

"You're all right!" Roxas interrupted brightly, punching his fists towards the night sky. His depression just washed away once he saw Axel's face. Roxas was overwhelmed with joy and all of his energy seemed to have returned. "I thought you were ill today."

Even though Sora had asked Axel not to see Roxas again, he couldn't help but rush over to the front door excitedly. An entire day without Roxas seemed so dull and boring, and he felt guilty for not saying a single thing to the blond. Axel had to make it up to him somehow.

The door snapped open and the enthusiastic water spirit immediately tackle-hugged Axel down to the floor, laughing joyously. "How did you find me?" The man held Roxas tightly in his arms, though not tight enough to actually hurt the Aquaerine. He nuzzled into the soft blond hair and chuckled. If he could, Axel would hold the blond in his arms for an entire day.

"You didn't come visit me today…" Roxas began quietly, aiming his head down, avoiding the redhead's emerald eyes. "So I wanted to see if you were all right…I decided to search for you." Carefully, the Aquaerine entwined his fingers with Axel's as both of them sat up straight. He couldn't help but wonder if Axel was avoiding him. The man didn't seem sick at all. "Do you…do you not want to see me anymore?"

It was a question that made Axel cringe, and remorse poked at his heart. **Of course** he wanted to see Roxas, but it was all so complicated because of Sora. The brunet just wanted to protect his brother from pain after all, but when Axel looked into Roxas' eyes, he saw nothing _but_ pain. "I did…I really did want to see you today, but I was busy." All he did was shop for groceries and bathroom supplies in the city, but nothing more. His friends were busy with work as well, so he couldn't spend time with any of them.

"You're not lying…but you're not being completely honest either…" Roxas whispered hurtfully, tightening his trembling fingers against Axel's own. It was as though he never wanted them to be apart again.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you like that." And he meant it. He would have done anything to see Roxas, but if he went to the lake then Sora would have been more than upset. Seeing Roxas at his door just brightened up his night. It was a pleasant surprise at first, but he could clearly see, even under the dark sky, that the Aquaerine was distressed. "Come in first. Let's get your feet washed." With one swift swing of his arm, Axel had lifted Roxas off the ground, earning a loud yelp. The Aquaerine's feet were covered in dirt, and he was definitely going to create a mess if he walked around the house. Axel carried him into the bathroom with ease, though the boy did blush and bury his face into his sleeves. The redhead laughed as he placed Roxas on the edge of the bathtub. "Life is a bit complicated for me right now," he said quietly as he twisted the silver taps. "But I did want to see you."

Feeling a bit reassured, Roxas nodded and kicked his feet in the water, creating small splashes, and tainting the back wall with a bit of brown. "I waited for you to come today." Guilt was starting to poke at Axel's heart again. He truly wanted to visit the lake earlier to watch Roxas sing and dance. "I…didn't sing my hymns very well," Roxas confessed shamefully, turning his head away, but making Axel's ears twitch. When the man was about to ask why, the Aquaerine heaved a sigh and cut him off. "I was scared because I thought you left me, so I could not concentrate. I thought you didn't want to see me anymore…or hear my hymns." After mustering up enough courage, Roxas had finally admitted his fear. His heart was pounding so loudly he could hear it in his ears. He couldn't help but wonder if Axel was bored of him.

"It's not your fault. I won't leave you; I'm right here. And I love your hymns. You know that." Axel whispered soothing words as he pulled Roxas into a hug. Not visiting the lake earlier was a terrible mistake. Even if it was going to be painful for him and Roxas to part at the end of May, Axel wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. They should have been making memories together, not spending time apart. Axel could find a job any day, but Roxas was only going to be around for two more weeks. "I'll visit you tomorrow. I promise."

It was a promise this time; that meant Axel was definitely going to visit. Roxas smiled and splashed some more water around, expressing his joy and relief. Chuckling, the redhead snagged Roxas' ankle and smeared soap all over his foot, making him writhe and laugh hysterically. "Well, well, it seems you're ticklish." Water was being splashed all over the bathroom tiles, walls and floor, but they were enjoying themselves. Roxas flailed while Axel smeared soap all over his other foot, and he couldn't find a way to control his laughter. With one free second, the Aquaerine retaliated by shooting bubbles all over the room, causing Axel to shout out in surprise and fall backwards. The room was filled hundreds of bubbles, so many that both of them could have been buried under transparent balls of soap. "Wow, I didn't know you could do that." Chuckling softly, the water spirit nodded timidly. He couldn't believe he produced that many at once just by touching the soapy water.

"I just realized how peculiar your room looks." Even the tub was a strange piece of furniture, especially with those silver knobs sticking out of the end. There were two of them; one had a blue ring around it and one had red. Curious, the blond reached forward and tugged on one but nothing came out. How did Axel do this earlier? Did the human have strange abilities as well?

"Turn it." The Aquaerine complied and twisted the blue one, causing water to pour out at a quick rate, splashing cool water over the blond's feet. Impressed, he grabbed the red one and twisted it as well. It combined with the cold water so it was nice and warm. "Your technology is very intriguing." Roxas stepped out of the bathtub and stared at the items beside the sink after popping more than half of the bubbles with a wave of his arm. The first thing that caught his eye was the toothbrush. "What is that fuzzy thing?" Before Axel could even explain anything, Roxas picked it up and began playing with it. He rubbed the bristles against his cheek and chuckled because it felt ticklish.

"You clean your teeth with those, Roxas," Axel explained while suppressing his laughter. Roxas' innocence never ceased to amuse _and_ amaze him.

"O-oh." Warmth spread across the Aquaerine's cheeks as he placed it on the counter. His eyes then continued scanning the objects next to the sink. He decided not to play with anything else to spare himself from further embarrassment.

"Does anyone know you're here?" Axel questioned quietly, after he turned the knobs in the tub, making the room silent. Secretly he had hoped Roxas at least received permission before he left, otherwise there would be issues later. What if someone thought Axel kidnapped the blond from the lake? He would never be able to see Roxas again; none of the water spirits would let him, especially Sora.

When the Aquaerine looked down and shook his head, Axel's hand twitched in response. Surely Sora or even the elder would interrogate him the next day. But there wasn't much he could do about it at the moment. He slipped his fingers in between Roxas' and smiled sheepishly so he wouldn't frighten or worry the water spirit. "It's all right…it's my fault. I'll take you back—"

"Please let me stay tonight," Roxas requested nervously as he clutched onto his robes with his unoccupied hand. It was his first time leaving the lake and he had no desire to return so soon. He wanted to explore—to be adventurous for once. Axel's home was so unique and all of the furniture and objects were so new to him; he was stunned and intrigued, even by the toothbrush. Also, he wanted to stay with Axel because they did not get to spend time together earlier. It even took a lot of time just to find the redhead's home. "Please. I will explain to the elder tomorrow morning."

Axel hummed and took Roxas' request into consideration. Silently, he wondered if the elder would actually punish him later, but Roxas would be around to defend both of them. Then Axel would get an earful from Sora, who would be fuming. Still, it was all going to be worth it. Axel kept in mind that he only had two more weeks left with Roxas; he wanted to create sweet memories. "All right, you win." Axel sighed and scratched the back of his head, wondering if his decision was a wise one. But it didn't matter, he supposed, since Roxas was leaping around joyfully in his bathroom, popping the remaining bubbles.

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

They spent the next few hours exploring Axel's home. It was almost like a tour for one special person. Several questions were asked by Roxas, since he was one of the most curious water spirits out there. He pointed out the simplest things, like the hardwood floors, the cabinets that held all of Axel's spices or canned goods, picture frames that hung on snow white walls or sat on mahogany dressers, and even glass plates that were on display in the dining room. Everything interested Roxas, and his smile never faded. His heart beat rapidly every time he saw electronic devices because those were the strangest things he had ever seen in his life. When the stereo began playing rock music, Roxas leapt back and hid behind Axel's body, assuming the device was going to attack or explode into a million pieces. But it didn't. Strangely enough, recorded music was coming right out of two speakers. Axel explained how humans had discovered a way to save a person's voice, but the Aquaerine found it hard to believe. He was amazed by the variety of music though. It was strange how a single device could hold so much. Roxas wanted to try it one day—to hear his voice come right out of a stereo.

They had reached the plasma television in the living room soon after. Roxas walked up to it and ran his hand over the top, wondering why it was so shiny and smooth. Axel claimed it was one of the greatest entertainment units that ever existed, though he didn't use it often because he never had time. He pulled Roxas onto the cushiony couch and flipped on the television. An image of a cartoon character showed up, making Roxas' eyes dilate. There was a strange two dimensional character talking to another one in a magic box called the television. "They speak your language as well," Roxas had pointed out. Axel thought his innocence was the most adorable thing ever. The Aquaerine actually believed that the cartoon character was going to speak to him.

"These are created by humans. We draw images and then use the computer to animate them. It's all fictional." Roxas had wondered what a computer was. A laptop was shown to him a few weeks ago, but Axel explained that a computer was the same thing, except it stayed inside a house and was bigger. After turning it on, the redhead explained that there were thousands of functions for it, but even _he_ didn't know all of them. Roxas stared at it in awe. He then noticed a small round object sitting on top of the monitor. "That is a webcam." And of course, Axel had to explain that it took the image of humans and showed it to others on the computer. The fun thing about his was that it also had the camera function; in other words, pictures could be taken.

Excitement pumped in Roxas' blood when he realized what pictures were. "Could we try?"

Without hesitation, the redhead nodded and opened a program where images could be saved. "Stand over here." Axel pointed at a spot right in front of the camera and the water spirit followed the finger. Even though he felt nervous, he was still thrilled. "Now smile this way." Roxas complied and presented the webcam with a bright, cheerful smile, one that Axel adored of course, and then a small click was heard. Seconds later, an image of Roxas popped up on the screen and the program asked if Axel wanted to save it. _"Definitely a keeper."_

"Wow! Look, Axel!" The water spirit clapped his hands together and then pointed at the screen. He couldn't believe what was in front of him. It was like magic! "I'm right here _and_ I'm on this…com…computer?"

Axel couldn't help but laugh at how the Aquaerine tried to pronounce the word. "Yeah, computer." He was definitely going to print out the picture and frame it later. Then he had to find a special place for it. "You look amazing there." Flattered, the water spirit felt heat spread all over his face, but he didn't hide it this time for some odd reason. Maybe it was because he also thought he looked good on the screen. It was his first picture after all.

"Take one with me," Roxas requested shyly while tugging on Axel's sleeve, forcing him off the computer chair. Laughing softly, the man pulled Roxas further away from the camera so his head could be seen in the picture. He leaned forward and clicked a few boxes on the screen so it could be a timed picture. "Wait." Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's waist and snuggled up against the man's body from the right side, making him blush profusely and stiffen. "There." The outcome of this photo was going to be magnificent now. With a nervous nod, Axel looped an arm around Roxas' body and pulled him closer. This was definitely going to be an image worth printing and displaying.

They smiled at the webcam and then it clicked again, like it did when Roxas had his picture taken. After a few seconds the image was displayed on the computer screen, and the two stared in awe, pleased with the outcome. It _had_ to be one of the most beautiful images Axel had ever seen. The serene smile on Roxas' face was gorgeous and definitely worth printing out. He wanted it right away, fearing that his computer would freeze or fail on him. "Would you like a copy?" Roxas blinked and glanced up perplexedly while tilting his head to the side. "It means you can take one home with you."

"Y-you can do that?!" The water spirit asked excitedly, clapping his hands together. When Axel nodded, the blond grabbed his hand and shook it energetically while bobbing his head. Of course he wanted a copy, especially since it was with someone he loved. He could even show his family what Axel looked like. It was going to be great!

"I'll make yours smaller so you can carry it around." Axel grabbed a few sheets of special paper that came with his printer when he first purchased it. He was also going to laminate Roxas' one after so it wouldn't be ruined underwater. The way human technology functioned never ceased to amaze Roxas. Sure, they made strange whirring and buzzing sounds, but they worked wonders. Slowly the image was being ejected from the machine called _printer_ and Roxas sat down and watched. He simply couldn't believe that colour was forming right over the glossy white sheet that Axel had inserted earlier. A smaller one was printed out afterwards and the redhead laminated it using a different machine. It was one he took from work so he could protect some of his documents. "This will protect your picture. It won't get ruined underwater."

Roxas graciously accepted the photograph. It was slightly bigger than his hand, but it was definitely a replica of the image displayed on the computer screen. He could even slip it into his robes and keep it near his heart…somewhere safe. "I love it! Thank you, Axel!" With that, the blond tackle-hugged Axel to the floor again, nuzzling into the man's chest.

Axel released a rough 'oof' as he his behind hit the floor, but it was perfectly fine. The way Roxas hugged him made up for any sort of pain. "You're welcome." This was exactly what he wanted to do with the Aquaerine. Have fun…make memories…enjoy the time they had left together. Axel would have to wait nine months before he could see Roxas again, but he decided that it was going to be all right. "Ready to sleep?" Axel scooped him up playfully and chose to carry the water spirit up to the bedroom, like he was a bride. Roxas protested half-heartedly and tried to escape, but the redhead was surprisingly strong. Plus, he couldn't struggle while Axel was going up the stairs because they could have fallen backwards and injured themselves. "Do you want to wear something else to sleep?" the man asked as they reached the master bedroom.

The Aquaerine shook his head as he sat onto the cozy bed, the blanket and mattress hugging his lower body. It was more comfortable than the ones he had at home, but that was probably because Axel paid good money for a comfy bed. When Roxas raised his head to comment, he found the man changing clothes in front of him. A wild blush exploded onto his cheeks as he gazed at the redhead's bare back, so smooth and pale under the dim light. He quickly covered his face with his sleeves and apologized for being rude. Axel didn't seem to find it awkward since he swam with Roxas in the lake before. But he always thought the water spirit looked cute whenever he hid his embarrassment. "It's all right." The redhead laughed and waved a hand at Roxas' silly behaviour. He buttoned up his shirt and joined the bashful Aquaerine on the cushiony mattress. When Roxas turned away and shook his head, Axel ruffled his hair and laughed softly. He set his alarm clock for the morning and turned off his lamp. Then he buried his body under a few silky red blankets. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier. You must have felt lost coming here."

The Aquaerine flipped his body around and shook his head after lowering his sleeves. "It was an interesting experience…but I'm glad I found you." Axel pulled him into a warm hug and rubbed circles on his back. Even though he felt regret for not visiting the lake earlier, he was relieved that Roxas found his home. It was almost like a miracle. They had a great time together, even though it was only a few hours.

Before Axel knew it, Roxas started singing a hymn with that elegant voice of his. It was so soft and soothing, especially since the redhead was about to fall asleep. It was like a beautiful lullaby sung by the very being Axel had fallen in love with.

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

The alarm clock blared the following morning and Roxas jumped out of the sheets, tossing them onto the floor, revealing Axel's body to the sunlight. The Aquaerine glanced around frantically, searching for the disturbance, hoping to stop it. _"Why isn't Axel moving?! What is that sound doing to him?!" _It didn't occur to Roxas that the man was still asleep because he blocked out the sound of the alarm. It was natural for a human to block out the annoying sound after living with it for a while. But it was so loud that Roxas couldn't believe Axel was unconscious. Once he found the clock, he made a quick grab for it and began tapping everything. No matter what button he hit it didn't stop beeping, so he began smashing it against the dresser, hoping to eradicate the noise. "Why won't it stop?!" he cried out shrilly, smashing it even harder, scratching up the surface of the expensive dresser. Then he tugged on it roughly, pulling the plug out of the outlet, and the sound just disappeared. Roxas released it and it finally broke apart once it hit the ground. A few buttons sprung right out and there was even a huge dent in the middle of the busted clock. Quickly, the confused water spirit turned to Axel and was surprised that the man was still unconscious. "Axel? Axel are you all right?" He shook the man desperately, praying that his crush was still alive.

Axel snorted and sat up immediately, his eyes wide and his hair a bit messier than usual. "What happened? What's wrong?" he quickly asked Roxas.

Relieved, the Aquaerine placed a hand over his chest and let out a deep sigh, making Axel quirk an eyebrow. "One of your…machines screamed at us. I thought it hurt you because you were still unconscious." Reaching down, the blond picked up the broken alarm clock. He smiled sheepishly when he noticed that the screen had several cracks all over it. The poor thing was totalled—a complete mess with shards of plastic falling off every minute.

Axel's crusty eyes bulged when he saw it dangling from the Aquaerine's fingers. "H-how did you…?"

Roxas then pointed at the surface of the dresser which was scratched up to Axel's surprise. "I-I didn't know how to make it stop," Roxas explained nervously. His quivering fingers made the alarm clock shake as well. He was afraid that Axel was upset with him for destroying and damaging the objects in the master bedroom.

The man ended up laughing at Roxas' innocence. "Ah, Roxas, I'm just a deep sleeper. Loud noises don't wake me easily, that's all. I set the alarm so we could wake up early. I have to take you back to the lake, right?" He took the piece of machinery out of the Aquaerine's hand and examined the damage carefully. An impressed whistle came out of the redhead when he realized there were dents everywhere. "I'm going to need a new one, that's for sure." Roxas looked at him with a sad, apologetic expression as he bunched his fingers into his robes. "Don't worry about it. These things aren't expensive. I can easily obtain another one." Axel had to admit he was pretty impressed though; he had no idea his friend was capable of doing so much damage to a simple, innocent alarm clock.

Roxas shifted his eyes nervously before he mustered up enough courage to ask, "Why did it scream?"

Chuckling softly, the redhead leaned against the headboard and ruffled the Aquaerine's hair. "It was meant to wake us up at a specified time. It worked for _you_, didn't it?" Roxas nodded gingerly as he inched closer towards Axel. He wanted to take a good look at the broken clock and silently apologized to it.

After setting it down onto his lap, Axel stretched his arms into the air and yawned. "We should get ready soon. Your friends might be worried." The blond poked the alarm clock a few times before he nodded in agreement.

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

"You had some nerve keeping him last night!" Sora hissed through his gritted teeth, once Axel and Roxas approached the lake, hand in hand. He pointed a finger towards the man in the threatening manner. It was clear that his blood was boiling since his face was red with anger.

"It was my decision though," Roxas replied firmly, stomping his foot on the ground childishly. The Aquaerines eyed them from the lake. None of them were singing or frolicking over the surface. Instead they were eavesdropping. Some were anxiously biting at their nails because they didn't know what Sora was going to do for punishment. Some eyed Axel darkly, assuming that he had actually taken Roxas against his will. They crossed their arms over their chests and wished that they could interrogate Axel as well.

"I thought I made it clear that I wanted you to stay away from my brother." Sora stalked up to Axel and grabbed his collar, even though the man was taller. Irritated, Roxas pushed him aside and stood in front of Axel so no one else could try to hurt him. It was unfair to place blame on Axel; he took good care of Roxas last night.

"I want to make as many memories as possible with Roxas before he leaves. I won't stay away…" the redhead muttered and blushed as he turned away. Everyone sat or stood still in their spots, as though they were frozen. Even Roxas was surprised to hear those words from Axel's lips. "I like _being_ with him…um…if you…if you know what I mean." It was too difficult for him to actually say _love_ in front of all the gaping Aquaerines; far too embarrassing. But even so, everyone knew what he had meant—it was like a confession. The birds in the trees chirped and made strange whistling sounds as though they were teasing Axel. If the situation wasn't so awkward for him, he would have chucked a few rocks in their direction. He hated how the morning sun made his blush visible.

"Do you really mean that?" Roxas asked in a hushed voice. He twiddled his fingers together as he turned to Axel and nervously waited for an answer. All of the other Aquaerines swallowed thickly and turned to Axel as well. Some were even ready to squeal for Roxas.

"**Do** you really mean all that?" Sora asked with an intimidating tone. He tapped his foot against the ground and placed his hands on his hips.

Axel stared at him and gave him a firm nod. "Roxas, you can tell whether or not I'm lying, right?"

Said boy smiled and nodded timidly as he took the man's hands. "Yes." And that was when everyone realized that Axel was being truthful. Some of the Aquaerines stared in awe and some just turned away. A few of them submerged because they were disgusted by the relationship between a human and an Aquaerine. But Roxas was beyond happy, so he didn't care about what his friends thought.

His brother on the other hand…

"I won't let you take Roxas away from his family or his friends…" Sora hissed indignantly as he yanked Roxas' arm, pulling the Aquaerine back, earning a small, painful yelp. He was absolutely furious because Axel had agreed to leave his brother alone the other night. And somehow Roxas even ended up sleeping in Axel's home. Humans obviously couldn't be trusted.

"B-but I'm not leaving you," Roxas quickly interrupted. He held his brother back by hooking his arms under Sora's shoulders. All of the other Aquaerines watched the scene cautiously. A few of them flinched when the brunet tried to lunge forward and some were biting their nails nervously. The birds flew away out of fear and the nearby squirrels leapt into the bushes.

"That is enough." Everyone turned their attention towards the middle of the lake where the elder had emerged with a stern expression plastered on his face. With haste the blond relinquished his brother and laced his fingers behind his back. Everyone bowed their head in Yen Sid's direction, and even Axel followed up afterwards to show his respect. It was nerve wracking to be in front of the elder; the water spirit who decided all that was good for his kind. "I will not permit you to solve your problems with violence." He grunted loudly as he advanced towards two brothers. They were utterly silent. "Sora, we all knew that Roxas had stayed with the human last night. Many of us sensed it and you should have as well."

The brunet looked down in shame and bobbed his head silently. _"He knew…"_ Roxas thought numbly as he eyed his traitorous brother.

"However, Roxas," the elder continued slowly. Said blond jolted and straightened his posture, fearing the worst. "You left the lake without permission and chose to inform no one. Did it please you to worry your friends?" Axel could easily understand why everyone respected and feared the elder. He had a strong presence and an intimidating expression when he spoke.

"No, elder Yen Sid, it didn't," Roxas replied quietly, his words laced with guilt.

With a sigh, the Aquaerine turned to Axel, making the man's heart skip a beat out of fear. What if the elder was going to separate him from Roxas? What if the elder was going to punish him for keeping Roxas for a single night? He didn't do anything wrong! How was he going to defend himself? These horrid thoughts made sweat trickle down the side of Axel's head. He swallowed thickly and watched as Yen Sid eyed him up and down. No words left the elder's lips for a good minute. He rubbed his chin and hummed as he concentrated on Axel's face. "Look at me. I want to see those eyes of yours." When Axel did what he was told, the elder nodded and stroked his white beard. "You seem like an honest man."

"I try to be," the redhead admitted with a simple, stiff nod.

"Is my grandson very important to you?" The elder leaned forward and gazed at the human, whose eyes suddenly dilated from shock.

"G-grandson?!" Axel blurted out accidentally as he shifted his gaze from Yen Sid to Roxas. The blond was quick to gesture his chin towards the elder. "I-I mean of course! I visit this lake everyday because I want to see _him_." When Roxas heard those words, he couldn't find a way to force back a blush; just knowing that Axel wanted to visit him made him happy inside.

The elder studied his grandson's expression carefully before he gestured his hand, calling the Aquaerine forward. Roxas blinked incredulously before he nodded and stepped into the lake where his grandfather stood. Yen Sid leaned down and whispered his words so no one else could hear. Even when some of the Aquaerines leaned forward they could only catch a single word at most. "Roxas, how do you feel about this human?" the elder asked slowly, making the shade of Roxas' blush deepen.

"I-I am very fond of him, grandfather," Roxas answered with a hushed, timid voice as he twiddled his fingers together. The elder had never asked him such a question before. It was quite nerve wracking. "Axel is a very kind human who enjoys spending time with me. He has shown me new things as well, like those strange objects in his home. He claims they are called computers or tele-visions."

Yen Sid raked his eyes over Sora's stiff expression and then Axel's. Both of them were utterly silent, but sweat was still sliding down the sides of their heads. Their hearts pounded vigorously inside their chests as they waited. Normally the brunet wasn't intimidated by his grandfather, but the Aquaerine had such a serious look on his face—more serious than usual at least. "Sora, your brother is mature enough to make his own decisions. He can stay in the human world if he wishes, or he can stay with us. However, you cannot force him to return with us."

Roxas gave the elder a bewildered look before he turned to face Sora. "I wouldn't stay in the human world. I must return to my other friends and family—mother and father would be upset if I suddenly went missing." He twitched when he felt Axel's eyes on him. Quickly, but carefully, the Aquaerine made eye contact with the man he loved. He gave Axel an apologetic look before he looked down at his reflection. Guilt suddenly weighed heavily on his shoulders and his heart seemed to have dropped into his stomach. "I-I'm sorry, Axel. I can't leave everyone just for you." Perhaps this was the end of their _relationship_. Roxas could only imagine the pain the redhead felt from his words. Some part of him wanted to stay in the _human world_ with Axel, but he knew that it wouldn't be right.

"I understand completely." Roxas squeezed his eyes shut at the answer. Inside, he kept apologizing to Axel…over and over again. "I wouldn't want you to stay because I know the other Aquaerines would need you more than I do." Axel stepped into the lake and enveloped the small water spirit in his arms, earning small gasps and squeals from the others. When Roxas glanced up, he saw Axel's kind, understanding smile.

"Simple words can clear up misunderstandings." Yen Sid's words made Sora flinch. The elder stared hard in the brunet's direction, waiting for an appropriate response. He was rather disappointed with Sora's childish behaviour, but he was still a forgiving Aquaerine.

With a surrendering sigh, Sora turned to Roxas and presented him with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry I tried to keep the human away from you…" he said half-heartedly, earning a small frown from the blond. "I'm not going to apologize to _him_, though." At least Sora was being truthful; Roxas would have been able to tell whether or not he was lying. "I just didn't want anyone to hurt my brother."

Although Roxas was hurt, he took Sora's words into consideration, since he _was_ trying to be the protective big brother. Plus Yen Sid wouldn't have wanted the blond to hold a grudge against him. "I forgive you," he replied quietly, earning a small smile from Sora.

"Good. Now, next time you leave the lake, you must inform someone at least, Roxas. I will not allow anyone to use anger or violence to solve their problems." Everyone nodded mutely, fearing Yen Sid's strict tone of voice. They all knew he meant well, but he was still an intimidating Aquaerine, especially with that solemn expression of his. With nothing else to say, the water spirit submerged into the lake. Everyone else began whispering words to one another about what had just happened. And slowly, the lake became lively again.

The birds returned to the branches and chirped cheerfully or whistled little songs. The ducks dove into the lake and began cleaning themselves for the day.

Roxas and Axel still stood in the water together, both warm in each other's embrace. "I guess we'll have to make the best of our last two weeks together," Axel whispered softly as he nuzzled into the water spirit's hair. Happiness was overwhelming them both; their hearts just wanted to leap out of their chests. The Aquaerine nodded and tightened his arms around Axel's thin frame as if he was promising to never let go.

Sora, who had his arms folded over his chest, still did not completely approve of their relationship. Sure, the human was a kind one, but was he loyal? Those were two different things. For all he knew, Axel was feigning kindness. But then again, Sora didn't have the ability to sense such things. "Human." Axel automatically turned to Sora since he was used to the name given to him. "Nine months…is almost a full cycle of the seasons…can you wait that long for Roxas to return? Or will you betray his trust?"

Whether Sora believed it or not, Axel had always thought about the first question ever since he realized he was in love with Roxas. It boggled his mind at night sometimes, but he always asked himself, _"Do I love him __**that**__ much?"_ The answer was always yes, but he secretly wondered if Roxas would still love him after nine months.

When he saw Roxas at his door the other night, he was just ecstatic. At that moment he realized how much he loved the water spirit, and how he never wanted to surrender him to anyone else, human or Aquaerine. "I'll wait as long as I have to," Axel replied firmly, making Roxas' heart flutter. The determination in his eyes were convincing enough.

Sora gave him a nod of approval before he walked into the lake, leaving the two lovers alone for once.

"You'll wait for me?" Roxas asked gingerly as he entwined his fingers with Axel's own. He looked into the man's beautiful, promising eyes and found the answer before Axel had said anything.

"Yeah, I'll be waiting for you. My home will always be near the lake." Axel gave Roxas' hand a light squeeze and smiled. "I'll come greet you when you come back…and then show you more from the human world." He leaned forward so he could finally give Roxas a kiss on the lips—he was going to seal his promise with a kiss. It was such a romantic way to give someone a first kiss. Sadly, even though the blond truly wanted it, they were interrupted by a shower of water which was summoned by the nearby Aquaerines that wanted to play.

"Tag!" one of them hollered from afar, right before she swam off.

Even though Roxas was disappointed with the children, he decided to give Axel a playful shove before he moved away. He loved playing games with the redhead after all. "Come and get us!" he commanded with a laugh, waving his arms around teasingly, making beads of water spray in all directions. When Axel was about to lunge forward, Roxas grinned and quickly placed a hand over the lake, causing water to shoot up around Axel's body…almost like geysers. The water sparkled beautifully with every drop and ripple, and it was all thanks to the sun.

The redhead dove into the lake and swam away to escape the barricade of shooting water. "That's cheating!" he shouted out after he emerged. There was a playful grin on his face, though, so he wasn't exactly upset with Roxas' attack. The children scattered all over the lake and Axel began swimming towards them even though his clothes weighed his body down a little. Whenever he drew closer towards some of them, they yelped and tried to escape, but Axel was persistent. He hunted them down like a shark and was successful in the end. But he quickly grew tired because of all the weight on his body…and because he rarely exercised. He normally worked in an office during the day so he never really had the time to jog, ride a bike, or even join a gym.

The children pouted at their loss, but they understood that even humans had their limits. They laughed, waved, and thanked him for playing the game, then swam off to practice their hymns. Exhausted and drenched, Axel walked back to his home, leaving a trail of water drops behind. He told Roxas he would return to the lake later so he could watch the traditional dances and listen to the hymns, but the blond decided to follow him anyway. Roxas wanted to be with him so they could spend more quality time together. And to avoid anymore trouble, he told Sora that he was going to be at Axel's house for a few hours.

...……………………………………………o…O…o………………………………………………...

After Axel hung his wet clothes over the balcony, he and Roxas laid on the rooftop and watched as drifting clouds passed by. Both of them took in deep breaths of fresh air as their hands slinked towards one another. "That was fun," Roxas began softly, piercing the silence with his voice. Axel chuckled and nodded in agreement as he shifted closer towards the water spirit. There was another moment of silence. It wasn't eerie or anything. It was just nice. "I like being with you too," Roxas finally admitted, in response to what Axel had said to all of the Aquaerines at the lake earlier. He pulled out the photo of him and Axel from his robes and smiled. "It's a very nice image."

Axel leaned against Roxas' head so he could get a better view of the photo. When he noticed the blush on his face, he laughed as he thought about how ridiculous he looked. "I look silly," he commented with a wide grin, earning a small chuckle from Roxas.

The blond secretly thought that the blushing Axel was cute, but he chose not to admit it to spare the redhead from embarrassment. "I think you look wonderful." The picture was like a treasure to Roxas; it was something he wanted to keep for an eternity. Before he put the photo away, Axel thanked him for the compliment by giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. It took a good three seconds before Roxas' mind registered the kiss. Quickly, while fumbling a little, the Aquaerine threw the photo into his robes. A wild blush had spread all over his face and a certain part of his cheek tingled. He quickly covered his face with his sleeves, but there was this bright, goofy smile on his lips that made Axel chuckle.

He gently ran his fingers through Roxas' soft blond hair and whispered, "I'll plan something fun for us to do…just the two of us."

The Aquaerine peeked up and blinked as his imagination suddenly went wild. He wondered what Axel was going to do. It _had_ to be something special since it was _just_ the two of them. Roxas could barely contain his excitement. "You would do that for us?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yeah, I would. We just have to get permission from the elder first." With that said, the Aquaerine had already begun praying for Yen Sid's approval. He wanted to leave the area just once so he could see what the city was like, but Aquaerines rarely left the lake. "I'll do some research tonight and find something fun for us to do."

Roxas couldn't contain his excitement any longer. He turned and wrapped his arms around the redhead's body. "Oh, this will be so wonderful! If the elder approves then you and I will get to explore the human world!" With a small smile, Axel looped his arms around Roxas' body, returning the hug. He was just as excited as Roxas because it was going to be their first date. Since he was a busy accountant, he never had time to go on dates. Now that he was free, he wanted to take Roxas to a fun place.

After all…they only had two more weeks together.


End file.
